Behind closed doors (GxJxA classic NSFW)

 Written with Rosegoldfox on Ao3

https://archiveofourown.org/works/39514023

Behind closed doors

 

"I don't know Alan, it's not my house and Gordon's not here to ask."

"Aww please John! Besides, it would save you picking me up from Virgil's joint on the way to Work."

"Well… maybe. What does Virgil think?"

"He said it would mean he could have ladies around again but I swear he was pulling my leg. We all KNOW he's never remotely been interested in ladies."

"He's never been into men either, Alan. Whatever… look let me ask Gordon ok? Chances are he'd say yes as long as you're able to pay your half of the rent and utilities."

"Is that all? Easy. Let me know straight away when he gets in!"

Alan stood out the front of the arrivals terminal, looking around for his ride. He packed light with the hope that his two older brothers might give him a lift to the nearest shopping mall. Thing was as he flew over, Darwin looked completely devoid of them. Most cities these days had incredible futuristic layouts that felt like you were living in a utopia, though there were some - like Darwin - that still hadn't quite gotten out past the late nineteenth century. The war of 2047 saw to that. Alan had spent his holidays in Alice Springs and while it was a nice modern city that still had a lot of catching up to do to the rest of the world, Darwin just looked like nothing ever changed in the damn place.

What his sibling's saw in this place, he'd never know.  

Virgil worked for some strange tech company based in Alice Springs, Scott was also currently stationed there as well while he was serving with the global defence force, while John worked at a Nasa owned facility that was a few hours drive between there and Darwin. Sometimes he stayed with Virgil and Scott but mostly he lived with Gordon who's work with WASP's southern ocean division had him stationed within the small city on the coast. 

Gordon wasn't about to leave it in a hurry either. As a dusty red dirt covered ute pulled up to the airport, Alan could see a surfboard bouncing around the back along with a duffle bag indicating his lift had been down the beach all day. As it stopped in front of him his red-headed older brother leaned over the passenger seat and gave him a wink. 

"Hop in stranger!" Gordon joked.

Alan rolled his eyes and threw his backpackers kit into the rear of the ute before climbing into the cabin. "This car needs a wash." He said, wrinkling his nose.

Gordon looked amused. "You've been living in luxury far too long Al."

Alan pouted. "I like living as if I have millions of dollars. I got sick of lumping it in college."

"Well you're going to be in for a rude awakening kiddo," Gordon snorted. "Virgil's place is a palace compared to my humble shack."

Alan's jaw dropped. "You have got to be joking."

Gordon's hands moved as he changed gears to get the ute rolling along the dirt roads out of town. "Why would I joke, Alan? John had to move his stuff just to get you your own room."

"Wait, John's moved out?!" Alan sounded mortified. "That wasn't the plan at all!"

"No, he's just shifted stuff into mine. It's bigger and fits two single beds. It's not like we've never shared a room before."

"I guess. But that was when we lived in Florida on the military base when dad was in the space program. You shouldn't have to do that, you could have said no."

"Al, you're making it sound as if I made John share the same bed as me." 

"It's close enough, isn't it?"

"Alan, John's seen me walk around the place naked on more than one occasion. It's my damn place afterall. Cold swims down the beach when you're naked first thing in the morning are a great way to wake up."

Alan cringed and sunk against the door away from his sibling. "You've gone FERAL."

Gordon simply shrugged and didn't take his eyes off the road. As Alan stared out his window he began wishing he stayed with Virgil. All the scenery here looked the same, nothing but red dirt, spindly trees and rocks…lots and lots of rocks.

Eventually after what felt like hours for him, the ute began to slow down and halt in front of a run down building that could optimistically be politely called a 'shed'. Behind though was an incredible vista of the ocean with an almost untouched beach laying bare before it.

John was standing in the doorway of the shack, waving. He was dressed in very loose and bright clothes which made him stand out from the muted dump colours of the building. As Alan got out of the cab John had already pounced on him giving him a huge hug. Gordon eventually got out of the vehicle and pulled Alan's backpack out, swinging it easily over his shoulder while also grabbing the surfboard and the duffle bag. As he walked past the shorter, stocker Tracy gave the tall blonde a nudge and whispered something Alan couldn't make out into John's ear. 

Whatever it was, John had instantly gone red in the face.

"Why are you staying in this dump?" Alan said keeping his voice low so Gordon couldn't hear, not that it really mattered since he'd already gone inside. "You get paid a TON at the Nasa observatory and with all those science fiction novels you've got published. You could have your own place in Alice that's WAY BETTER than this shit shack!"

Before John could reply Gordon reappeared, unbuttoning his shirt as he headed for the beach, Alan realising that his appearance here was more or less being seen as a mild inconvenience by the eldest. It shouldn't have been surprising, if given the option of putting up with Alan's attitude or drowning in a pool he'd jump into the pool head first. It's not that he didn’t like Alan, it's just that they didn't always see eye to eye.

John give his older brother the side eye as he walked by after another comment about 'the third wheel' there was still tensions between them about the whole thing, they would make up it later Gordon's subtle ways promised that, as John tried to catch a glimpse of his arse as he headed down to the water.

"You can cook, right?" He asked, ignoring Alan's question as he picked up his bag Gordon had unceremoniously thrown at their feet.

"Uh… not unless you like burnt things?" Alan screwed up his face. "You haven't become a feral too have you, living out here in the middle of nowhere?"

"I don't know what you mean, we take turns in cooking though so…" Leads him inside and to what was originally John's room. "Welcome to your humble abode" Says putting his bag down on the bed.

"You honestly slept in here? It's the size of a walk in closet!"

"Not anymore little bro, now the closet is all yours!" 

Alan poked out his tongue. "You don't need to give me the attitude Gordon gave me earlier. Seriously, what kind of civilised person thinks clothing is optional?"

"One that has to wear a uniform all day."

Alan spun around and his deep blue eyes were eye level with warm caramel ambers. Gordon didn’t look too amused to have his brothers talk about him behind his back but it wouldn't have been the first time they had since he took the offer at Wasp. Speaking of which, he was now dressed in the uniform- all dull grey with red patches and gold trim. Secretly he hated it. It wasn’t a uniform he wanted to be found dead in but John liked seeing him in it which he found odd. But for John, Gordon would do anything in order to keep him happy while he stayed with him.

"I'll be training some new recruits this week, I suspect we won't be back for the next few days… you're able to show Alan around on your own and keep him out of trouble?"

John bit at his lip behind Alan's back, he and Gordon had already said their goodbyes but seeing him in uniform always made him want to go for another turn.

"Of course, I can't make any promises about staying out of trouble though."

Gordon waved it off. "Just… I dunno have fun." He gave them both a half hearted salute before heading from the open living area, picking his hat off the rattan couch before heading out. 

John followed him out watching as he got into his ute and drove off waving goodbye,

Before turning to Alan.

"So would you like the tour?"

Alan shrugged. "I actually wouldn't mind hitting the shops. I didn't bring anything other than what I took on holiday to Virgil's. Some clean underwear would be nice." 

"You're thinking of mall shops or local, not a lot of choices in local."

Alan blinked. "You mean there are shopping malls in this dump?" He looked hopeful. Finally a sign of civilization!

"Oh no, you want a mall we'll have to go to Darwin it's only about three hours from here"

Alan's heart dropped. "Three hours?" It didn't feel like that long driving here from the airport…. But then Alan had zoned out after he seemed to rub Gordon the wrong way. He was impressed how quick it took, usually his sibling was hard to annoy unless you put in serious effort to do so. “But that’s AGES away!”

"It's a nice ride though" He stepped past Alan and headed out the door encouraging him to follow, leading him to a small shed out back.

Alan rolled his eyes, picked his way through the mess of discarded clothes, boxes and goodness knows what else to follow his brother to the back door. Stepping outside his feet were immediately soaked as this area of the property went a little underwater as the tide came in. Begrudgingly, he squelched his way over to the ramshackle shed to see what John was going on about.

John flicked on the switch and the light flickered before coming on and waited for Alan to catch up. He stepped in and pulled a drop sheet off revealing a motorbike underneath.

“Woah that’s… that’s sooo cool….”Alan’s eyes lit up like lights on a Christmas tree. “I didn’t know you had a licence!”

"It's a brough superior ss100 2017 model they build these based off the bike Peter O'Toole rode in the 1962 movie, Lawrence of Arabia."

Alan looked at John darkly. “A 1962 film replica? You seriously think that’s a SMART IDEA to ride something like THAT out THERE with all that dust and shit? It’s a museum piece!”

"It's safe." Kneels down beside the bike running a hand over it affectionately.

“Th-That’s not what I meant! John you CAN’T ride that! It’s a fucking million dollar collectors item!” Alan stammered before blurting out. “It’s bloody priceless to some! One scratch on that and it loses ALL its value!”

He laughs. "Is that really the problem or are you too afraid to get on it? It's also our only means of transport."

Alan pouted. “Afraid? No way. Just… fuck John have you got no idea how to look after something so damn valuable? It’d be like getting a replica of the sixties Bat Mobile and taking it through a carwash of GRAVEL.” He opened and shut his mouth a few times like a fish gasping for air. “Just… UNBELIEVABLE.”

"Really Alan motorbikes were built to be ridden not collecting dust in a museum." Sounding irritated now.

“But it’s not just a bike….” Alan’s voice faltered. “I assume the helmets are as ancient?”

"Alan I'm going to ride the bike and I'm going to continue riding it, you can ride passenger with me or if you don't like that your only other option is to walk."

“FINE. Bet Gordon doesn’t get on the back of this thing.”

John smirked and didn't say anything as he pushed past Alan and headed back to the house.

“What!? I didn’t say I WOULDN’T get on it… John? JOHN!?” Alan called out after his sibling. “Ah fuck this shit.” he snarled kicking the dust sheets.

***

Gordon stumbled out of the ute, leaving the cabin door open wide  for any would-be thieves to freely take it. They’d have fun trying, since the starter motor had tried to die. Besides, Where would they go? The damn thing was out of petrol, something that so few places sold anymore. It was all ION batteries and solar power these days.

He kicked one of the tires before grabbing his work gear - a large duffle bag containing his scuba gear and two air tanks and started to hoof it down the long dusty road that would hopefully break off onto another one that led to the house. It’d be an hour's walk on foot and without holophone reception out here it was either sleep in the car and hope a stranger stopped or hoof it. 

Hopefully, John didn’t mind him coming home a day early minus a vehicle.

The sky was darkening and the stars were beginning to come out John headed to the beach the night sky was the clearest here, he brought a notebook and a pack of cigarettes, the light from the shack was enough to see by, he didn't really feel a need to keep Alan entertained so there was no reason not to continue with his regular routine.

He stayed there a few hours before heading back as he walked up, he noticed something on the road, a figure approaching. He squinted trying to work out who it could be, they were miles from anywhere so people just taking a walk wasn't the norm around here.

Eventually reaching the house, Gordon unceremoniously dropped his work gear with a resounding THUD, spraying red dust everywhere coating his already filthy grey uniform in a layer of reddish powder making him cough as he inhaled it.

He looked a mess, jacket was half open to show the once white shirt beneath with what looked at first glance to be motor oil but was more dried blood that had soaked through the jacket from an incident at work which was why he was finished earlier than usual.

You can't continue a shift without a big clean up after an accident like that.

He glanced up to see John coming towards him from the beach.

"Gordon! What the fuck… what happened?" Where was his ute? And he was a complete mess.

"Ute's fucked. Will go back with some petrol and a tool box and she'll be fixed no problem." Gordon tried giving John a smile but knew he needed something - anything - to take his mind off what happened today and was more than happy to let John grab him and worriedly check him over briefly before he pinned him to the nearest wall and kissed him, a clear indication that he was fine… at least physically so.

John was more than happy to let Gordon raid his lips. "Talk about it later then?" He asked when he finally pulled away.

"Both." Gordon breathed out heavily, eyes meeting John's temporarily before he moved to deliberately start teasing his sibling's neck with rough kisses and light nips. His right hand was already snaking up under John's shirt, tentatively as if checking he was really in front of him before applying pressure and massaging the soft skin under his fingers. 

"One of the cadets… didn't check his gear before a deep dive." Gordon pressed his forehead against John's and cupped his face with his free hand, stroking it. "There was a blockage in the air tank." He swallowed hard. "Promise me when you finally get into the space program you double check your damn gear." 

Gordon pressed his lips against John's with more force, parting his lips and exploring his sibling mouth with his tongue as he pushed his body against his, the desire for touch and reassurance coming to the fore. Sure, he'll be forceful now but he craved John's gentle caress to tell him things are alright.

With the hand that he was holding, Gordon began to give the fingers some slow and very focused attention, making sure John could see him lick and draw each digit into his mouth, deeply purring as he did so before shifting it downwards and underneath the belt of his dress pants and the hem of his tight cotton boxers so John could feel how much he had been missed.

"Promise me that Johnny, that no one has to scoop what's left of you out of a helmet." Gordon wrapped his strong arms around his brother tight, hands caressing his platinum blonde hair and his back underneath his shirt. Occasionally John could feel his grip tighten or his hands pause in what they were doing as parts of the terrible event replayed in his other brother's head.

Alan had gotten bored of combing the beach and had decided to go looking for John when he couldn't find his sibling by the telescope he had set up on the beach. What he saw as he approached the shack made him quickly dart behind the shed.

Someone was pinning John against the front of the house. While he couldn't tell exactly who in the dark it didn't seem that John was struggling against them either. After a little observation it dawned on Alan that whoever the stranger was, John was clearly passionately making out with them.

I didn't know John had a boyfriend! Alan mused. No wonder he's staying here with Gordon! 

While he internally debated with himself whether or not he should go over there and say hi and interrupt the 'moment' but then other bloke hand gotten on his knees and -

Oh fucking hell John! You're not a feral, you're a fucking exhibitionist!

He then froze up upon hearing another familiar voice.

"After this…. I'm going to make sure you're here with me all night long, Johnny. I'm not going to let go or withdraw long enough for a breather…. Repeatedly filling and drinking from you all night… hope you enjoy the ride, as Alan clearly doesn't know how to properly appreciate a beautiful piece of machinery…"

"You know I've missed our work outs… and missed feeling you within me. I think in dire need of some adrenaline…"

Alan covered his mouth and bit into his hand. Holy shit, John is having a sexual relationship with Gordon! Of all the people they could be doing it with they're committing incest with each other!

Glancing around the shed again, he could see his brother's had shifted position and by the sounds of things they weren't messing around. John was extremely loud and seemed to be enjoing himself a tad too much, while Gordon being just as vocal was on the quieter end though occasionally a loud groan from him was enough to indicate he could be as bad as John if he wanted to. It was then when John's arms wrapped around Gordon's shoulders and the stronger of the two showed off by how much he was by hitching both of the blonde's legs up and carrying him inside without breaking their intimacy with ease.

Like they had done it many times before.

Fuck! I should tell someone! Alan mentally swore. His brothers were both clearly messed up to be doing this sort of thing! But who? Their father would take them aside and probably give them both the beating of their lives and wouldn’t put it past Scott to potentially do the same but for completely different reasons and Virgil probably wouldn't care less as long as they eventually moved on and met other people - allowing them to 'grow out if it' which if they were using each other to fill a temporary void they wouldn't have picked somewhere this isolated to do it in.

They knew what they were doing with each other was wrong and this wasn't something they planned on only making temporary.

No wonder John was 'iffy' with him when he asked to live with them and why Gordon was very quick to get upset. They didn't really WANT him there as it would ruin whatever it was they were up to.

Or maybe not. They knew he could potentially be anywhere inside the house and were still having sex as if he wasn't there. Heck, just in the short time he was alone with John his sibling had not only wandered around the shack naked and cooked food in the kitchen without his kit, he'd skinny dipped at the beach too.

Admittedly if he had John's body he'd probably flaunt it as well. He was tall and slender but that didn't mean he had zero muscle. He was fit, built like an Olympic gymnast. He toned and lithe… no wonder Gordon found him sexually attractive. 

Fuck, was he honestly thinking about John the way Gordon probably was? EWWW! Why!? Why would he think such a -

Because despite living on the beach front in a place where the sun would kill you just as fast as heat stroke would, John's skin didn't have a single burn mark or tan line. His skin was still pale though admittedly he was smattered with freckles across the shoulders and lower back….

Eww eww eww, stop thinking about these things! It's gross, yuck and FERAL.

But boy was it hard.

Maybe a shower would lose those thoughts?

He made a move for the house, hoping that his brothers at LEAST had some decorum and took their 'bizarre behavior' somewhere private but no, as he stepped through the doorway he could see them with their backs to him on the couch.

He could simply slip past, afterall the bathroom was only to the left of the front door but some weird fascination had taken hold of him leaving him standing there in the shadows, watching in mortified shock.

It wasn’t like the stuff you'd find in the movies, edited to look classy or anything out of a porn video which was all to the point for instant gratification - everything he saw was very much done purposefully for the other person's enjoyment.

Also, fucking hell did John look good sitting on Gordon's lap leaning back onto him getting it while being lovingly pleasured at the same time. Alan couldn't really make the older of the two out underneath the other but if the noises illicit from John was anything to go by? Gordon wasn't a slouch in the department where it counts.

The conversation though wasn't what he assumed it would be. Again, movies and watching the odd porn flick had him believing you talked romance or dirty to your partner during the act - there was a little of that - what he had not expected was to hear them both talking about ordinary things that you'd more commonly say at the dinner table or with friends. John was joking around, making fun of Alan for putting a sheet up to block out the large floor to ceiling windows of the bedroom only to then tell him the windows have a block out switch by the cupboard door that tints them or totally blacks them out. The throaty laughter from Gordon though was occasionally peppered with melancholy overtones hinting that some sort of serious conversation had been present before Alan entered the house.

Oh fuck did he need the bathroom…

He closed the door softly behind him so as not to disturb his brothers and ran his fingers through his hair… what had he just witnessed? He never would have believed it if he hadn't seen it first hand, how long had this been going on? Quite a while it seemed… they appeared 'overly familiar' with each other and wow it had been something to watch.

He needed to cool off. He put the water on as cold as he could handle before stepping in. 

By how tight his pants had felt he was surprised to see how aroused he was over witnessing something against nature.

He let the cool water run over him, closing his eyes and hoping it would wash those thoughts away. As he stood there he could hear sounds coming through the wall, his brothers had no intention of ending their fun anytime soon… listening to John's cries of pleasure, he could picture him and started to wonder what it would be like to touch his porcelain skin and being caressed by those long fingers, tasting those lips…

He reached down to find he was still incredibly hard it was becoming uncomfortable, as he began to try and bring himself some relief he didn't realize at first his pace was matching the sounds he heard from his siblings. He began to imagine himself in Gordon’s position and it was him making John call out like that. His pace increased until he heard that final blissful sound, biting his hand muffling his own cry of release. As he watched it all wash away a feeling of shame came over him.

These feelings and emotions he was having for his own blood were not normal, yet he wanted to experience them more.

***

"I didn't think you'd miss me this much."

"I always miss you when you go. Sometimes I'm afraid you won't come back."

"I'll always come back to you."

"It doesn't stop me wondering."

Gordon nuzzled John assuringly, kissing him affectionately and stroking his shoulders while embracing. "I could say the same for you. Those test flights in all those experimental rockets -"

John pressed a finger to Gordon's lips to hush him. "It's an Observatory job. At least while Alan is here."

"No way are you going to keep that a secret, you practically work at the same facility. He'll eventually find out when they start the test flight again."

John seemed to wave it off as he made himself comfortable straddling Gordon's lap eliciting a deep groan and his sibling's nails digging into his shoulder blades.

"Not giving in yet?"

"Not by a long shot." Gordon growled. "You know that."

John cupped his face and kissed him passionately, exploring his mouth and letting his tongue tango with his lovers while rocking his hips against his groin, feeling the shuddering shakes from Gordon as his body was responding to his playful behaviour. He moved his hands away to tug at the grey jacket that Gordon was still wearing. "You know I love this uniform but I think we could lose it now…"

His brother sat forwards so he could help John remove the jacket and pull him free from the shirt underneath, leaving his body bare to rest against. "That's better." He tapped Gordon's bare chest and smiled. "Seeing your body move when we play… each muscle move involuntarily, each shiver, each twitch…."

Gordon chuckled in amusement. "Well I don't know about that… you're a little more entertaining to watch." A sly smile crossed his face and before John could protest he had him pinned to the couch, one leg over his shoulders and the other held tightly around his waist and pushing him heavily into the second hand gypsy cushions that were the only comfortable thing on the couch as he began to ramp up the intensity. John's arms wrapped around him as tight as they could to hold him close. A glimpse at the floor of the blood stained clothes was enough to prey on his mind that there was every possibility that one night Gordon wouldn't come home. It wasn’t the first time he had come back covered in blood and probably not the last.

In the same way Gordon wouldn't dare tell him to give up his dream job, he wouldn’t feel comfortable asking his sibling to give up his….

At the same time though…

"Tired?"

John smiled lovingly and ran his hand along Gordon's jaw. "You haven't filled me yet." 

"We've got all night."

"Morning too. I wouldn’t give up our ritual."

"Of course." Gordon nuzzled into the crook of John's neck before caressing his lower body with his free hand in time to his hips. "Wouldn't have you take me any other way."

After a few hard thrusts and deep possessive moans as Gordon's body violently shuddered, thrusting his arms out to stop himself crashing his entire weight onto John he said, "You don't have to though. Have to get up early and fix the ute, if it's still there. It'll be a bit of a hike back but you need your bike for work and fixing that hunk of junk might take me all day." 

He sat back, pulling John up and on top of him wrapping his arms around tightly while he slowly got some energy back. "If the ute is fully fucked though…shit I fucking can't afford a new one. I told dad I wasn't taking any handouts."

John knew Gordon always preferred to stand on his own two feet and not be a spoiled rich kid living off his dad, after all Alan was a terrible example of that though he hoped he wouldn't be so stubborn about it to the point of not seeing sense.

"I think you need to sleep and worry about it in the morning, unless you want to go again?" He pushes some stray hair out of Gordon's eyes. "If the worst comes to worst, borrow my bike until you get some cash together, I have some time-off I can take"

"The walk will do me good. You know it does." Gordon brought John's forhead down to his and let out a very pleased little growl.

"I got some cash saved up if you need."

"We'll see. I should have stuff to replace the starter." Gordon kissed John's cheek. "Instead of the Sunrise… want to now in the dark against the stars? I think I could go one more but I'd like you to fill me back."

He let John help him up and lead him to the main bedroom where two of the walls had floor to ceiling windows that illuminated everything by moonlight. John pushed him up against the closest one and Gordon rested his weight on the glass, wrapped one leg around John's waist to bring him close.

"Make it count." He teased.

***

Alan awoke the next morning to a bright brilliant light from the sun glaring through the sheet over the window. Oh gawd how the hell can anyone think not having curtains was a good idea? 

Groaning, he emerged from the bedroom and looked around and frowned. His brother's clothes from yesterday were still all over the place. Absolute bloody slobs the pair of them… though it meant for certain what he saw last night wasn't a dream.

And he jerked off to it.

Egh.

He turned when he heard a noise from outside and glanced out the large windows of the living room. Outside in the dawn light he could see Gordon rummaging through the scrap piles that rested against the shack, picking a few things out and tossing them towards a toolbox. 

It was also the first time he had seen the red head without a shirt on up close. 

If John was the build of an Olympic Athlete then clearly Alan had no idea what a real one looked like. He recalled Gordon winning swimming trials and working his way through to being on an Olympic team. Heck he still holds a world record for the hundred meters butterfly that still has yet to be broken - all at the age of sixteen.

And it showed. He was built and shaped by water, the broad wide shoulders, the musculature in his arms, the narrow waist - no wonder he was the one he saw in control, without his uniform Gordon looked like an intimidating powerhouse of strength.

The narrow hips probably made it easier for him to be in that position too, he mused.

Oh good grief! NOW he was checking FUCKING GORDON out!?

Ewww no no no no….

And yet…

He's probably packing it down those trousers.

Fuck. Alan looked away, biting his tongue hard only to look directly into the face of John who was lounging on the couch where he missed him at first glance.

How long had he been there?

"Sleep well?" John asked, he could see Alan just didn't know where to look, after all he was completely naked on the couch.

"Uh… yeah.. could you put some pants on? Heck even Scott and Virgil don't treat their place like a nudist colony."

"Oh believe me they do, they're just not as confident." Shameless or whatever he thought, it was their place after all. Alan looked very unimpressed. "Okay fine." His tone let Alan know he was defiant, as a pair of pants off the back of the couch - Gordon's or his he didn't care. "Hungry?"

"Er… not right now. What time do we leave here for the Nasa base?"

John went to check his watch, he dived on the couch when he found he wasn't wearing it fishing it out from between the cushions. "About a quarter of an hour." He said, strapping it back on. "I'd eat something its a three hour ride."

Alan's nose wrinkled. "Ok, but I saw what was in the fridge yesterday. No way am I eating THAT."

Before he could say something else, Gordon ducked his head through the front door. "Just leaving on foot now. If there's an issue I'll just radio you. They still haven't got that phone tower sorted after the fires here in January."

"Right we're off soon too, sure you don't want me to drop you still?"

"Yeah, I'm sure. Weather forecast is saying it's going to be pretty average today so I shouldn't be in too much trouble on my own out there. It's not like there's crocodiles or anything."

"Nope just what do they call them, drop beats that will suck your brains out" Alan gives him a horrified look, John shakes his head to show his joking. "Good luck with it." He felt disappointed not being able to send Gordon off with a kiss.

Gordon laughed. "You mean Drop Bears and since there's few trees where I'm going I don't think that'll be an issue. Safe travels, both of you."

As he left Alan remarked, "Isn't he afraid of giving himself skin cancer? He's walking in the middle of fucking nowhere without a bloody shirt on!"

"It's called sunblock Alan, anyway hurry up and get ready we're leaving in ten."

***

It was late evening when the ute spluttered and complained as it groaned as it came to a halt in front of the house. As Gordon jumped from the cab covered head and shoulders in grease and dirt, he grabbed something out of the tray and before John could kiss him as he entered, he pressed a finger to his lips and smiled. "Shower first, then surprise."

Alan kicked a stone as he strolled along the shoreline, he'd decided to take a walk pretty much as soon as John and himself got back home.

He was still trying to process what he'd seen last night and his own self gratification, what was he supposed to do now?

He turned around and started heading back. He would have to say something about it eventually.

Gordon eventually emerged from the bathroom wrapped up in bathrobe, his eyes scanning the livingroom and the small kitchenette. "Alan in the bedroom?" He asked tentatively.

"I honestly doubt it. He went for a walk down the beach. If he gets lost he's got the radio on him so he can let us know if he's in trouble. "

Gordon could feel John's eyes trying to suss him out. "You worried about him?"

"A little. If he's not back before midnight we probably should grab the heavy duties and go looking."

John nodded. The rocks around the cliffs could be very dangerous late at night and while they had no idea which way he went they both could cover the beach very fast between them, having done so when Scott dropped in one evening unannounced and heavily drunk after being jilted on a date and getting into a fist fight with Gordon who only tried to calm him down, the eldest bloody lucky his younger brothers were still concerned about him.

"What about right now?"

Gordon moved in close and ran his hand under John's jaw playfully before leading him to their shared bedroom picking up an old music player as he swept through and once the light was on the button on the music player was pressed.

As the music started up Gordon started strutting around John and singing along much to the younger Tracy's amusement. 

"How d'you do, I

See you've met my

Faithful handyman

He's just a little brought down because

When you knocked

He thought you were the candy man."

Gordon playfully gave John a shove towards the bed and with his back to the windows he threw open the robe to reveal a white and red trimmed corset in intricate lace and satin accompanied by white fishnets and suspenders with stiletto heeled leather boots that hugged his slender calves.

"Don't get strung out by the way that I look

Don't judge a book by its cover

I'm not much of a man by the light of day

But by night I'm one hell of a lover."

Flinging the robe to one side, Gordon then pushed John right back so he was sitting on the bed and rested one stiletto on the mattress while he stood so John got a really good view of the lacey lingerie and how sexy Gordon looked in them.

"I'm just a sweet transvestite

From Transexual, Transylvania-"

Gordon then pulled back and strutted around confidently in the heels stopping only to give a couple of sexy poses as he sang and moved his body in a way that up till now still took John by surprise.

"Let me show you around, maybe play you a sound

You look like you're both pretty groovy

Or if you want something visual that's not too abysmal

We could take in an old Steve Reeves movie."

As Alan approached the house he could hear the sound of music as a figure danced about another, was it a woman? It looked like it by how they were dressed, not only were his brothers… sleeping together one of them had a girlfriend or had hired the services of a lady, no wonder they lived out here, they had indeed turned feral. He moved closer to see just which one of his brothers was being entertained.

John watched in fascination as Gordon danced for him, even straddling his lap and giving him a lapdance, John getting to join in by holding his arm around his sibling as he bent backward and touched the floor showing how flexible he could be though John already had a fair idea as this was one of the many positions he loved to put Gordon in as they made passionate love together.

Gordon then pulled himself back up and caressed John's face kissing him before singing the end of the song.

"So, come up to the lab

And see what's on the slab

I see you shiver with antici-

-Pation."

He delfly swung a leg over John's head and rolled skilfully off his lap, pulling him up towards him.

"But maybe the rain

Is really to blame

So I'll remove the cause

But not the symptom." 

As the music stopped, Gordon swung a stiletto up and wrapped his leg around John's waist, sliding John's hand onto his hips and kissing him deeply so their tongues continued to dance. 

"Take me." Gordon purred seductively when they parted.

"My pleasure-"

"HOLY SHIT YOU HAVE GOT TO BE FUCKING WITH ME!"

John could feel Gordon freeze up in a mixture of shock and horror at hearing Alan's voice. He looked out the window to see the youngest Tracy standing there, mouth agape.

"Gordon, don't listen to-"

"JUST WHEN I THOUGHT YOU COULDN'T GET ANY WEIRDER, YOU GO FULL ON CREEPY AS SHIT!"

Gordon pulled away from John and awkwardly yanked off the boots and threw them at the window, making Alan jump and parts of his brain decide to panic and make him start running. It was a very inspired decision as it wasn’t long before Gordon was already catching up to him across the dunes, eventually tackling him and pinning him to the ground.

"Give me one GOOD REASON why I shouldn't rearrange your entire face?"

As soon as Gordon ran off after Alan, John was in pursuit calling out to him to stop he knew it was going to be ugly for Alan, he had no chance of outrunning Gordon when he was in a blind rage.

"Gordon stop!" He yelled as he caught up to him. "At last take the outfit off first!" Gordon looked at him as if he'd lost his mind. "His our brother, you can't go and kill him for god sakes!"

"Why the hell not!? The moment he blabs this to ANYONE we're fucked!" Gordon snapped, emotions blazing hot in his features. "Dad and Scott will kill me if they ever find out about… THIS!"

Gordon shoved Alan forcibly into the sand as he got up and while not exactly storming back towards the shack, he did look incredibly self conscious. As he passed John he growled, "You said it would be fine if we just acted like ourselves. I don't know why I gave in and said yes to having him here… it's like we can't even get away far enough to be who we are." 

He then walked slowly back and headed inside. There was every chance half his wardrobe was probably going to end up in the rubbish bin, including some of the really expensive stuff John had given him for his last birthday… or the off-chance he'd get dressed and drive the ute somewhere until he cooled off. It had been hard to even tell John he was into wearing it because it made him feel good. It had been more difficult than making the first move and coming forward admitting his attraction and feelings towards John, at least if that went wrong he could pass it of a some sort of dumb joke about it.

John squatted down beside Alan and before helping him up he said darkly, "We don't have many rules here on purpose but I'm going to make some exceptions if you're going to want to keep staying here. One, what we choose to do here is our business and if you tell anyone I will personally hurt you before Gordon does. Two, when Gordon is dressed up he's MINE unless I say otherwise. I saw you perving this morning and even now I can see how 'interested' in him you are."

Alan immediately looked down towards his tight shorts when John glanced down there and swore, sitting up to try to hide himself. Just like the night before with listening to John's moans of pleasure and his mild voyeurism he was trying to burst out from his clothes. His body was committing the ultimate betrayal of begging to be buried deep into both his siblings, both either tied down or himself strapped to them in leather, buckles and studs. Where the thought had come from he had no idea but the notion of either of them submitting to him or him doing so in return was getting him flustered.

 "Three, don't you EVER tell me to put clothes on when I'm enjoying being free of the weight of conformity and shame. And Fo-"

"I want to wear leather." Alan blurted out. "Not just regular leather either, you know the fetish stuff. I also want to be whipped, spanked and sandwiched between you both to get and give at the same time!"

John couldn't completely keep the surprise from his expression, this wasn't at all something he had even considered.

Convincing Gordon would be the hard part.

"You understand we make the rules, and you do what we say, and only what we allow?"

Alan winced, his brain shutting off while he let his sexual desires do the talking. "What sort of rules are we talking? They're not humiliating are they?"

"We're not cruel Alan," John rolled his eyes, finding it tasteless he would suggest that. "Look we'll start easy take your clothes off now, if you can't be comfortable naked in front of me this won't work."

"What now?" Alan stared at him agape. "You are aware this errection is because of fucking Gordon sitting on top of me right?"

John sighed, annoyed. "Have you been with anyone before Alan?" He really didn't want to think his first time would be with one of his own brothers.

"Of course! Just… not YOU."

"I'm glad to hear that." 

Alan took a deep breath, yanked his shirt off, dropped his pants and tight cotton boxers, kicking them towards John in the sand. There his body was standing to attention in all its glory, begging to be played with. "Happy?"

John circled Alan looking him up and down, his build was very different to Gordon and himself - lanky and lean - more like a runner or sprinter. He was almost as tall as John as well, he was reserving if he liked what he saw as they would have to see how committed Alan really was, he ran a finger up Alan's spine and watched him squirm away, they would have to get him comfortable first.

"Don't say a word, let me do the talking."

As Alan was lead back to the house he picked up his discarded clothes, holding them low to hide any more accidental arousals and to make sure Gordon didn't see and get the wrong idea. He need not to have worried though as stepping inside Gordon wasn't anywhere to be found, thought the lingerie he had been wearing was folded up neatly in a box on the couch on a soft bed of baby blue tissue paper. Glancing around he noticed the door open to John and Gordon's room. John had the moment they stepped inside to start stripping off before heading in there and Alan wasn't sure if he was supposed to follow. John stood in the doorway and indicated for Alan to follow and halted him at the entrance way. Afterall John wasn't entirely sure what Alan's motives were and while he wanted to sit and discuss Alan's request over with Gordon in a way where they all had nothing to hide but the sight before him was a sign that maybe it could wait.

Looking around John Alan could see toys - stuffed animals - all over the bed. Little ones, big ones, turtles, dragons, puppy dogs, frogs and cuddling into a huge pastel pink unicorn lay a sleepy Gordon dressed in matching baby pink camisole with matching thigh high stockings.

Alan swallowed and was glad his clothes were being held low in order to hide. There was a loud growl from John and flicking his brother a look he could see his clear arousal and could sense an air of possessiveness coming off him. 

Ok so John was NOT joking about Gordon dressed all cute being off-limits. That shouldn't be a problem though, Alan considered since he preferred him being strong and blokey like he had been in the morning and domineering with John the night before. This side of Gordon? John could keep it to himself. He'd rather see John all cute this way instead - he had the perfect figure and looked the part much more than Gordon could.

"I think it's best we talk about this tomorrow" John whispered to Alan so as not to disturb Gordon. "Take care of that too." He said, shooing him away as he slipped in the room closing the door behind him.

Alan stood there a few moments blinking in surprise at himself. Just what did John plan on doing with him naked? He shuddered.

From inside the room there was muffled conversation before a loud, "You are going to regret teasing me so much earlier, going to make you ride my cock so damn hard you're going to call my name all night-"

It was at this point Alan rested his back to the door and slid to the floor, pulling at himself hard and fast as holy shit hearing John talk as if he owned Gordon's body was something for the ears. Though he still didn't like the idea of John being the dominant one he wondered if it was more to do with their appearance overall instead of factoring in their personalities. John had always been someone who easily took charge and took the lead while Gordon was laid back and just went along with things, making the night before quite possibly an outlier.

Damn. The very idea of him deep inside John with Gordon doing it to him in return was one he liked and wasn't keen on letting go of.

***

"This is it! The fetish mega store! Pretty cool huh?"

Gordon looked at some of the things on display in the windows. "These are all… BDSM things…"

"Course they are!" Alan grinned putting his arms around his shorter older sibling. "If I'm going to be - as John put it - a 'slave' then I have to dress like it right?"

Gordon gave John a concerned glance before Alan dragged him inside. "Come on! I was promised you'd pick me out a collar and a leash!"

Once inside, Gordon visibility cringed as Alan darted off leaving him alone in an aisle where there was a lot of black leather covered in spikes and not a lot else. He gingerly picked up something that looked like a stick with leather pieces flowing off it, read the label and dropped the cat-o-nine tails with a loud clatter on the floor before stumbling into a rack lined with various riding crops.

"Oh hey, that's a really cool idea! Thanks Gordon,  didn't think you'd be into the whole punishment thing!"

"I-I'm not!" Gordon protested but it fell on deaf ears as Alan picked up something that looked like a face cage but in the shape of a wired dog muzzle. 

"Hey, you think this will suit me?" He said, wondering how to try it on.

"I think I'll just wander around the parking lot…" Gordon coughed before trying to make for the nearest exit. He felt really uncomfortable when Alan had detailed his fetish to them when John proposed the idea of letting Alan into their little 'sex bubble'.  He agreed only because John was enthusiastic about it and told him there will be rules though didn't mention to him what they were.  

Gordon wasn’t into inflicting any sort of pain even if it was to stimulate pleasure but John had told him that a little spanking wouldn't hurt Alan if it kept him quiet about their other activities.

Gordon darted past John and out the door clearly uncomfortable, John let him go he wasn't going to force him to stay, just convincing him to let Alan in on their fun was difficult enough.

He followed after Alan who was enthusiastically going through the inventory.

"So what are you thinking of collar wise chain, leather, spikes, studs?"

Alan held up a handful of asserted things. "Everything."

John smiled at the way his younger brother's eyes lit up. "Just remember not to put on dad's credit card, really don't want this on his purchase history."

"Yeah, like I want him to know I'm into all this." Alan raised an eyebrow. "Mind if I try that on?" He pointed to a very tight leather outfit on a mannequin with a penis harness, nipple clamps, pinpoint strap high heels and a large mouth gag. He had been thinking hard about ideal outfits and wanted something that set him apart from his brother by making himself look as dangerous to play with as possible.

"Whatever you want to do, Alan, it's your choice." This is all going to be very interesting, John thought as Alan went to find someone to help him.

Finding himself getting bored loitering in the carpark, Gordon headed back into the store in search of his brothers. He felt it would be more considerate to let them know he was wandering off to another factory outlet mega store in the same strip of shops than just pissing off on them. 

He found John sitting outside the change rooms. He dared to ask, "Is he trying one of those things he showed me on?" 

"A bit more than just that." John answered, patting the seat beside him.

"Oh?" Gordon went pale. "G-Great."

Alan eventually stepped out, the sound of tapping heels signalling he was definitely better at wearing them than Gordon was in stilettos. Everything was skin-tight from the chaps, the cock ring, the leather crop top and arm length gloves. He even managed to strap the muzzle shaped cage on with the ball gag over his face. He then slapped a riding crop against the exposed skin of his thighs.

"What do you think?" Alan crooned, full of confidence and attitude."

"Y-you look good." Gordon looked away quickly and said hurriedly to John, "I'm just… looking in another store." And with that he left, a nagging feeling in the back of his head that he may be getting replaced if he wasn't careful. 

"Wait, where's he going?" Alan asked as Gordon walked off. "I thought you said he was going to pick me out a collar?" He pouted and then shrugged.  "Doesn't matter. Ohhh maybe I could wear something spiky in those photos you said we should take?" 

Alan then looked at his reflection and grinned wickedly, slapping the riding crop against his legs again. Oh he was definitely going to make his and his brother's sex lives more interesting.

Gordon wandered around the other factory outlet, picking things off the rack and putting them back after holding them up to any reflective surface he could find to see if they would suit. After all you had to purchase not just on design alone… 

After returning the twelfth lot of items back to the rack it was sinking in that no matter what he picked out, he wasn't going to be able to top what Alan looked like. Well he could by being more stronger and masculine than Alan but that wasn't what he wanted to be as he was that at work all day. Heck it's what everyone expected him to be and he hated it. 

He wanted to know what the 'Rules' John mentioned so badly when he explained to him Alan was wanting in on their fun. Alan didn't seem to know what they were either but if Gordon knew his youngest brother, he would figure out some way to bend them to his will when they were presented to him.

John said everything between them all would be shared, did that mean they were going to start being a threesome? If so who was going to be the one in the permanent dominated position? Clearly John was going to be the dominant as expected… but that left him and Alan and while John and himself took turns on occasion, they clearly wouldn't be anymore. Sure, Alan's gear he was purchasing suggested he wanted to be submissive but for some reason Gordon didn't think it was going to be towards him in any way shape or form.

No, he was going to be the one on the bottom as no way was he going to stick his damn dick into that…. That abomination once Alan was all dressed up in it though after what he had said about Gordon's own lingerie there luckily wouldn't be any chance of him being fucked by him either. How John was going to get around that was going to be interesting. 

Unless Gordon was made to give up all of the lace and satin. It would be the easier solution to put him at the bottom… or at least in the position of cum monkey between them… wait. 

Maybe that wasn't a bad idea? John would never let Alan hurt him so he'd NEVER get to use those whips and crops.

Could he honestly do that though? Let Alan touch him up? Let him fuck him, suck him and cum everywhere?

He cringed but then thoughts of John in that same position crossed his mind as well as ones where Alan was between them and the thought of John fucking or being fucked by Alan in the slightest made him VERY red in the face from jealousy and possessiveness.

He couldn't let that happen. 

The only reason he and John had a relationship was because he initiated it. Gordon wanted John so badly he went all out to impress him when he came to live with him that he was taken by surprise to have the feelings returned instead of rejected and called some sort of sicko which was what he had expected to happen - John to hit him and tell him he was disgusting - yet that didn't happen at all… leading to them both in the same bed entwined together between the sheets the same night.

Maybe after a year of being together John was getting bored? He couldn't be, he was only trying to mess with Alan so he'd back out and go away wasn't he?

Gordon looked at his reflection in one of the many mirrors dotted around and stood to his full height which while it wasn't that impressive his figure was. Sure Alan looked good in all that latex leather looking stuff but he was also incredibly skinny, little meat to him or structure. Gordon's tight shirt on the other hand showed off his shape, his hard earned and maintained figure and fine bone structure. Who cares what Alan looked like in that stuff? Clearly he needed it to make up for what he was lacking - besides Gordon definitely outshone him down stairs being thicker and longer but was it going to be enough?

He was about to leave the store empty handed till something vibrant caught his eye. It was rare something that wasn't soft of pastel had his attention - colours like black or deep purple never looked right against his tanned skin - but this one? Wow the neon red REALLY looked good.

He grabbed it and a few others to try on and ducked into the change rooms. It felt weird not having John wait outside or sneaking in with him for a quickie but after buying the white bridal set from the other day he was confident enough that he didn’t need John's approval for every outfit he chose.

After clipping the hooks in place and sliding up the bikini bottoms Gordon looked up at his reflection. The bright red looks good against his skin, the top half had a lace collar sewn into the pattern and it hugged him around the chest quite neatly making him smile with how different it looked. Sure if he had boobs it'd  probably look better but his chest muscles had a tendency to fill out underwear like this and make them ok enough to get away with. There was an open heart shape on the chest and around the back of the bikini bottom which was something he hadn't seen before and was impressed by how they made it more of a teasing outfit rather than one you could wear everyday.

Would John like it though? He didn't stay around long enough to get his reaction to Alan so there was every possibility that the only way he'd ever top it was by going down the same route.

He took it off carefully and hung it all back on the rack when he emerged, along with all the others. Not today, not when head was fighting with his heart to stay in control of himself.

Gordon went back into the fetish store and this time sat down beside John and quietly watched Alan parade around in another outfit he found to try on - a super tight black latex sexy bunny corset orgasm delay combo.

Be supportive, you can do it Gordon.  

"You look really good in that. Hugs your body nicely." He said, avoiding eye contact with John while attempting to make it with Alan and sound enthusiastic. "Ever thought of a G-String bottom instead? They show what you've got down there while leaving something to the imagination at the same time."

Alan's face lit up. "That's a great idea! I'll see if I can find some that match!" 

As Alan darted back into the change room, Gordon pulled out his phone and quickly searched 'Threesome positions' before handing it to John.  He pointed at the guy getting double dicked, the one getting covered in release from masturbation from the others and the guy generally in the middle when getting sixty nined or group fucked.

"If we're going ahead with this," Gordon said in a tone that meant this wasn't up for discussion afterwards. "I'm to be the Cum Monkey between you."

"Are you sure Gordon?" John raised a eye brow.

"Positive. Besides, I'm the only one who could physically keep going several rounds with both of you at once…that and I already dress up like a lady most of the time, I'm already prime bitch material. "

"It'll mean Alan gets to -"

"I know and he can learn to wear a fucking condom when he does it… You're cool with that?" Gordon asked, though there was a hint of displeasure that couldn't be shaken out of his voice. Lying wasn't his strong suit but if John wanted this to work he had to be as forward and open to it as he was … and Gordon didn’t want to disappoint by being closed minded.

Besides, if he established his own rules then there shouldn't be an issue right?

“Sure, sounds good. If you’re volunteering, why not?” John said smoothly, not taking his eyes off the changing room, curious to see what Alan was going to try on next.

"I'll just go buy the lube and the rubbers. You want me to get the usual or different kind?"

John just waved him off. "Whatever you think, I trust your choices." 

 Gordon stood there a few minutes in disbelief before his shoulders sagged and he went to look for the aforementioned important things. Either John didn’t care or was too busy entertaining the idea that there would be someone else to play with in the bedroom, Gordon couldn’t be sure of which. He felt like a part of his soul had died as the candle might be burning out between them before his eyes.

As Gordon left, John smiled smugly. He wasn't naive and could see what Gordon was doing but rather than find his possessiveness flattering he found it irritating, how dare Gordon think he could dictate who he did or didn't sleep with.

Gordon was the one being naive to think this could last. They would have to stop eventually grow up and be realistic.

It had been the most exciting relationship he had ever had the taboo the controversy of it, nothing may ever top it he would be lying to himself if he said Alan catching them hadn't been exhilarating, sure he hadn't expected him to want to be a part of it, it would keep him quiet after all they're were all in this together now, if it was enjoyable as well that was a bonus, but how far Gordon could be pushed remained to be seen.

***

 

“Ok so what you’re both going to do is do up the bedrooms and dress up for some photos, get everyone comfortable with each other incase anyone has any ideas of chickening out.”

“Aren’t you going to have some taken?” Alan asked.

“Nah, I’m not wearing any sexy attire. Who wants plain old boring nudes?”

Alan exchanged a glance with Gordon and saw a similar expression cross the eldest face that suggested that he would but wasn’t brave enough to speak up. Alan started to worry why that might be.

“So who wants to go first?”

“Well, I only just bought all my stuff.” Alan scratched his chin. “I still need to set everything up.”

“I guess it’s me then.” Gordon said softly. “I’ll still need a few minutes but it shouldn't be too long.”

“No problem. I'll make sure the camera is changed and ready to go.”

“Are you sure you don’t need a hand Alan?” Gordon asked, completely taking him off-guard.

“Er, no I should be fine.”

“Ok. Well if you do just ask, alright?” and with that Gordon went to their shared bedroom and closed the door behind him.

Why was Gordon suddenly being so nice to me? Alan wondered. What’s the deal? Does he know something I don't?

After the door shut to their bedroom, John caught hold of Alan's arm and put a finger to his lips before indicating for him to sit down on the couch.

"Alan," He said in a low voice. "It's obvious Gordon isn't completely into the idea of this, so I think we need to do something to get him on board and listen closely okay." He whispered something in Alan's ear, Alan nodded and John kissed him not just any kiss but a deep and passionate one the way Alan leaned into he knew he was having the exact effect on him he was going for. "That's just a taste of what's to come, if you can do this, I'm counting on you." He then let Alan go to set up his own room.

 

It didn't take Gordon very long to swap things in the room around and change a little bit of the decor. John probably had no idea he HAD half this stuff as frankly Gordon was a little afraid of anyone calling him a fairy. He knew full well he more or less was one but hearing someone else say it made him think of those kids back in highschool how he used to beat up because they picked on his younger brothers calling him similar names.

He wasn’t supposed to like pastel pink, baby blue, lace and satin. They were supposed to be for GIRLS. 

But ever since Scott accidentally won a giant pink unicorn at a local school fete and palmed it off onto him as a joke, Gordon KNEW he wasn't the 'Jock' they all expected him to be.

He draped the light blue taffeta over the tall bedposts and hung some off the walls along with other things like fairy lights and swapped all the toys around so only the most softest and most loveliest blues were on the bed, on top of the toy boxes… delicately placed to make it look like a cute girls playroom. He changed the windows to tint them soft blue as well and then sat patiently on the lacey white doona while dressed in a lollita styled outfit he had never worn before that had lots of cute bows, frills and revealed quite a bit of skin. He even made the effort to restyle his hair, adding a headband and a few cute bunny hair clips.

All he had to do was wait to be told what to do. He'd done something similar to this before but the last time his heart wasn't racing around trying to scream at him that something was wrong. He really REALLY hoped John wasn't upset with him for jumping the gun earlier at the fetish store.

He probably was. It wasn’t that hard to get on John's bad side. 

He reached for his phone on the bedside table and made an audio call.

"Hey, Virgil… got a minute? I really need some advice. "

 

For such a small space, Alan had managed to maximise its potential. By making the windows blacked out the room now felt claustrophobic and like a real sex dungeon had chains and ropes hanging off the walls, whips, handcuffs and other strange things hanging from the ceiling in the center of it. Was it a harness? And was that thing that was next to the bed a hobby horse? What were all those bumps on it for?

Then of course standing next to the weird thing from the ceiling was Alan dressed in leather chaps with the cock ring g-string he had found, the tight leather bodice, gloves and catwoman mask playfully slapping his jaw with a riding crop.

Alan was ready to play.

"I thought about what you said, about Gordon." Alan purred. "And I want in."

John smiled wickedly. "Good. You can first start by helping me get in 'that.'" He pointed at the harness hanging from the ceiling.

“I thought we were taking photos?”

“We are.” John handed him the camera. “Put it somewhere with a good view of everything and hit record.”

Alan put the camera down on a high shelf he figured was the best seat in the room while John undressed and then slapped him with the riding crop. John flinched a little but a huge smile was on his face.

He was going to enjoy every second of this.

He let Alan strap each limb before he was lifted up off the floor with his arms behind him and his legs spread apart, Alan securing the harness before the ‘Donk Donk’ of his pinpoint heels over floorboards as he walked back over to him and caressed his jawline with the crop.

“If things get too intense, just say the safe word.” Alan purred, slapping the crop against John’s backside playfully.

“And that is?” John smirked.

Alan leaned down and whispered in his ear before nipping it and stepping back to reach for a small whip, with it he flexed it, ran it along the length of John’s spin before flicking it against his skin, causing him to yelp.

 

"Thanks Virgil. If… if things go belly up just be prepared for me arriving unannounced. I haven't even told John or Alan that I got a new position there. You're the first."

"I understand. It wouldn't have been a role I'd have taken personally."

"Can't argue with the money though."

"Just don't kill yourself doing it."

Gordon smiled. "Don't worry Virgil. I took the job because I got tired of watching others die. I assure you I'll be fine."

"Take care Gordon. You know where to find me."

"You too Virgil."

As he hung up the phone a loud shout came from the room next-door startling him. It was then followed by a loud moan and Gordon swore he could hear John calling Alan's name.

Getting up off the bed he wandered out of the room and rested his ear against the door of the other bedroom and he could hear John as clear as day moaning and yelping out in pleasure. 

Gordon shoved the door open and stood there in shock at the sight of John up in stirrups, covered in red welts… but what hurt most of all was Alan dressed in all his tight black leather with his body deeply within HIS boyfriend hitting him with the crop with every thrust.

"Hey Gordon, wow you look ridiculous!" Alan waved the crop around slapping John across the side of his torso as he laughed. "No wonder he came in here instead!"

Without thinking his actions through, Gordon entered and walked around to Alan, punching him square in the face and before he could back away, Gordon's knee came up and connected with John's erect groin making them both holler in serious pain before walking around and grabbing him by the open jaw and bending down as he tightened his grip.

"Could have just told me you were done with me instead of parading my fucking replacement around infront of me pretending you wanted us all involved. Turns out you were just in it for yourself."

He let him go and before he walked out the door he turned and said with a smirk, "I'd get tested if I were you Alan. I wouldn’t trust that this was the first time he's ever done this behind my back. Wouldn't want you to contract something."

He left the door wide open and slammed the one to his room, stripping off the outfit and throwing on an oversized shirt before diving onto the bed to hide himself under the toys in hopes they'd muffle his tears. When the initial rage died down he started carefully putting everything away in their toy boxes and the outfit tucked back into its original packaging to hide it back in the cupboard and didn't stop until the room once again looked like an empty bachelor pad and there looked as if there was no trace of him living there.

"Hey, got a minute?"

Gordon looked up from swapping pillow covers over to see Alan with the mask off trying to stop his nose bleeding.

Gordon could be an arsehole and just leave him to bleed but instead sighed and sat Alan down, tilting his head to inspect the damage.

"You got a punch on you that rival's Virgil's you know?"

"Hit you, has he?"

"More than once."

Gordon grabbed one of the loose fabrics he had to still put away and as he sat next to Alan he used it to apply pressure to stop the bleeding.

"That's not like Virgil."

"No. Neither is his drinking problem"

Gordon frowned. "Since when?"

"I have no idea… but everytime he had been drinking while I was there he got very violent. I don't think Scott lets him drink for that reason. If I knew I'd have spent my holidays at home. I mean you guys haven't exactly made me feel that welcome since I moved in."

"I'm sorry Alan. I didn't mean to, It was John I was really mad at, you just didn't help things."

"Yeah I noticed. You wouldn't be helping me if that wasn't the case." Alan hesitatingly smiled. "Besides I think John is going to find it very hard to walk after what you did."

"Maybe he'll learn something but I doubt it." 

"Oh he might. I left him a little tied up."

"Really?"

Alan nodded. "I couldn't see with my hands covered in blood to untie him properly."

Gordon patted his back. "It's ok I'll sort him out. You get changed into…." He tossed Alan the loose shirt he had on and dug around for another which to Alan's surprise was figure hugging and looked very good on his brother despite it having a bright pink bunny on it and slipping on some cotton trunks. "And just lay here ok? I'll be right back to check on you once he's free."

"You're not going to knee him again are you? I never wanted to get between you, I wanted to be with both of you."

Gordon kissed his forehead. "It's going to be ok, I'm not as volatile as everyone thinks. I sleep hugging stuffed animals for pete's sake. I'm on edge because I've taken on a really dangerous position at work where I'm going to be around here even less. If anything Alan what happened was probably going to anyway regardless if it was today or in three months."

Alan hung his head. "That's a terrible thing to even consider."

"I know Alan but when every couple of shifts you're cleaning someone's insides out of a deep diving suit or you're pulling dead bodies out of research cages due to some sort of preventable mistake it puts a lot in perspective. It's why I've taken the job, maybe I could do something to make sure no one else dies. It puts things like this in perspective."

When Gordon entered the other bedroom he was quick to let John down, his brother's head struggling to be held upright and his body aching and cramping from being left in an awkward position for too long.

John stumbled on his feet thanks to his blood pressure now being a mess so Gordon lowered him onto Alan's bed and covered him in the sheets. He sat with him running his fingers through his platinum locks until he heard snoring and then went back to the other room where Alan was sitting on the bed waiting for him.

"Is he going to be ok?" Alan asked.

"He'll be fine after a sleep. Same goes for you. We can talk about it later when things have settled and we can all think straight without our sex drives getting in the way."

Alan wrapped his arms around himself. "I don't think I can go to sleep. Can you stay until I do?"

Gordon sighed as he sat beside him. "I was going to sleep on the couch as I don't think me laying with either of you is a good idea."

"Please? I don't want to be alone."

"Fine." 

Gordon lay back onto the bed and allowed Alan to cuddle into him as he wrapped his arms around him tight.

When Alan awoke Gordon was gone but a note with his name was left on one of the pillows.

'Don't do anything you feel uncomfortable with. You can always say no. Don't wait up for me, either of you.'

***

Gordon groaned. It had been a while since the last time he forced himself to sleep in the tray of the ute. Funny, it involved a problem between him and John then too.

He needed space. Sure there was every chance he'd go back and walk in on them having sex again but he was beginning not to care and that was what bugged him - more than him being possessive.

He could hear a noise in the cab. Someone was trying to contact him on the radio.

Begrudgingly, he hauled himself out of the tray and walked around, reaching into the cab for the microphone. 

"I'm not dead if that's what you're trying to work out." He spoke darky into the mic peice, his throat sounding as if he'd eaten dirt all night long which honestly wouldn't have suprised him with how messed up he emotionally felt.

"Oh thank god!" John's voice came through on the mic sounding strained but relieved. "I'd never forgive myself if you were."

Gordon frowned. Was it the radio or did John sound rather awful?

"Is everything alright John? You sound… off."

"I'm fine, just didn't sleep well" There's the sound of grunting as it sounds like he's shifting around.

"I think you should go to a hospital." The distant voice of Alan calls, John swears back at him. 

"It's nothing Gordon, I'm fine." John says hastily. "I just might be off work for a few days, nothing major."

"Why is Alan saying you need the hospital?" Gordon queried. "I didn't knee you that bad did I? Did me and Alan leave you tied up too long!?"

"Gordon I swear I'm fine, completely deserving and fine.. Alan's being a worrywart, I just won't be up to anything for a couple of days. "

"That doesn't sound fine to me. I'm coming back… is there anything you need?"

"Really I'm fine don't worry about it. "

"He wants more pain killers, cigarettes and some drinks."

"No I don't! Shut up Alan! You're lucky I don't have any more pillows!"

"Sounds like you don't really need me to come home." Gordon grunted. "I honestly don't mind camping out in the ute to give you new lovers some bonding time." He couldn't hide the snark in his voice if he tried.

"No Gordon… just… come back and… we'll talk… please…"

Gordon fell silent and let his brother beg a little longer, slightly finding it amusing. "Alright. Give me… ah fuck….just give me a few hours." It occurred to him he had absolutely no idea where he actually was, driving off at random out here wasn't the smartest thing to do in the middle of the night…. he could be ANYWHERE.

It was late at night before Gordon made it back however when he stepped in the doorway with two large slabs of beer in his arms, dumping them in front of the couch and tossing down a small bag of very strange looking dice he was surprised to see both John and Alan fully dressed and looking nervous in his presence. He had A LOT of time to think things over and had come up with something that might knock the jealousy out of all of them and get them to loosen up.

"Before we come up with any rules," Gordon smiled wickedly. "I propose a game. Bring any condoms, anti bacterial wipes and lube you have because we're ALL going to need them."

Alan was quick to dash off to collect whatever it was he had in mind while John sat on the couch giving him a dirty look. Only then did Gordon notice the ice pack on his groin.

"Physical bruise or just your ego?"

"You know fine well it's both." John grumbled, shifting his position.

"If you're looking for sympathy, you're barking up the wrong tree." Gordon folded his arms. "You got what you deserved." He sighed. "Why though? That's… never mind it doesn't matter anymore. Are you in or not?"

"Fine." John grumbled.

When Alan returned, Gordon opened one of the boxes of beer and tossed both his siblings a can. John fumbled, causing Alan to laugh, then laugh harder as it sprayed everywhere when he opened it.

As Gordon took a swig, he placed three big dice on the table and started to explain the rules.

"This is how it'll work. This die here has the letter of each of our names and a number three. This determines who you're going to have sex with, right here in front of everyone else."

Alan's eyes went wide. "Really?"

Gordon nodded. "The type of sex is rolled on this die here." He pointed at one of the others with pictures of two males on every side. "There's a bit of everything on there."

"What's this one for then?" Alan pointed to the other die. 

Gordon's smile blossomed into something wicked. "That Alan is what you roll if you roll a three."

John picked it up and inspected it. "I don't think I'll be very useful on a three."

"Course you will." Gordon purred in his ear as he slipped off his clothes to reveal a blood red lingerie set which to his surprise, Alan wolf whistled at. "Just means you're either going to be at the bottom or the middle."

John gave him a sour look of someone who didn't seem to like where this direction was going. 

"Relax John, it's all about what you roll. If you roll yourself you can either get yourself worked up and excited or you know, you could always forfeit your turn." Gordon teased playfully before finishing his drink and reaching for another. As he did so he reached over Alan who subconsciously adjusted himself in his leathers as being this close to Gordon brimming with lustful confidence despite whatever he was wearing was making him desperate to roll and have a crack at him first.

"My how your tune has changed." John hissed between his teeth.

"Let's just say after yesterday it's occured to me that my opinion doesn't matter so I've stopped giving a shit, which frankly is what you want right?" Gordon said handing Alan the lettered die and sculling the can in one go. 

Alan rolled the die and the letter 'J' came face up, making John give Gordon a glare of superiority that he might enjoy this more than Gordon intended him to, though it was quick to look unimpressed when the red head didn't take the bait. 

Alan then grabbed the second die and gave it a good shake with a big grin on his face knowing full well either way John was going to be in service to him because of his 'injury'.

The die clattered on the coffee table and Gordon snorted with laughter. "Alright, get on your hands and knees, blondie!"

John grumbled as he was forced to shift the ice pack and get on his hands and knees before Alan, noticing his brother giving Gordon a quick glance before saying, "Open wide!"

John froze. He had never felt so pressured to perform, completely unlike his wilful decision the day before.

He felt a hand touch him on the shoulder. "You don't have to. Like I told Alan, you can say no."

John went red in the face. Was this all an elaborate trick just to teach him a lesson!?

"Here, I'll give you a demonstration since you're stumped, Johnny boy."

Before John could protest, Gordon was also on his knees and already working his tongue along Alan's decently lengthy shaft, the alcohol in his system already opening wide his inhibitions due to the fact he rarely drank and was easily affected by it.

"Woah, hold on- uuuuhhhh damn that's…fuck that feels sooo good!" Alan started to lose himself to the eldests teasing. "Uhhhh nuhhh uh ohhhh aaah!"

John had now completely flushed crimson which with his very pale complexion only made it go a pastel hue. He wasn't sure if he was livid with rage at Gordon showing him up or the fact he was making him feel as upset and angry for willingly making love to someone else.

"What's wrong John? Showing Alan a good time was your idea." Gordon had sat back on his hutches and poked John in the chest. He placed a hand on his knee before adding, "We can do it both together." He then gently lifted one of John's hands up to touch Alan so they were both holding his erection. "Ready Al?"

Alan, looking slightly worried, nodded.

"You can back out if you want Alan. Just say the word."

Alan thought it over. "No. I want it."”

With that as the go ahead Gordon didn’t give either brother the ability to back out by kissing John on the lips and making sure Alan’s hard on was between them when he did so. John didn’t need a lot of prompting from that, the combination of saltiness from Alan and the sweetness from Gordon was plenty of incentive for him to start following along with his older brother’s lead. He let out a gasp as he felt Gordon’s free hand gently cup his own sore body and stroke it tenderly along with their motions so he reached across to do the same, Gordon’s monster needing some added help getting rock hard and ready to play.

“Uhhh Ohhh hells! Nuhh uh huhnugh!~” Alan panted aloud, begging for more. His head fell back against the chair as he could feel the warm wet lips of his siblings taking it in turns to pull him in and tease with their tongues. “G-Guys… nuhhh Ah! Not going to hold out! Ahhhh Uhh huff ha!”

True to his word Alan let loose, flicking the mess everywhere and making both his brothers reel back and burst out laughing. 

“Well we’ve learnt where your limit might be.” Gordon teased.

"Going to need some self discipline to control that." John purred.

"Oh? Damn you… you guys are intense!"

"The games only just started. Are you sure you can handle it?" Gordon chuckled as he handed John the lettered die. "Your turn."

"I still don't know how good I'm going to be right now." John couldn't hide his disappointment that despite what he rolled, he may have to skip his turn. He was starting to enjoy himself despite the mild pain he could still feel, thanks to Gordon and his delicate caressing hand.

He shook the die and let it clatter on the coffee table. It stopped with the letter 'G' face up then rolled the second die.

"Oh wow… Are you sure you can do that John?" Alan asked tentatively after seeing the image on the second die.

"I'm sure he can." Gordon nuzzled his cheek before kissing him. "How'd you like me?"

Alan sat forward. Now this was going to be interesting, the tension between them had been slightly volatile and unusually possessive within each other's presence up until now. It was obvious John was going to get a rough ride as payback for yesterday as no way was he -

His eyes widened as Gordon leaned against the coffee table, resting his head on his arms and allowed John to slowly and at his own weary pace, start taking him from behind while reaching around to stroke the monster he freed from the red lacy panties earlier.

"Gawd I miss your narrow hips. Never pass the chance to be within them. Mmmmm… feel so good." John purred. "Hey Alan, come here." He murmured as he took his time drawing himself in and out of the moaning redhead. "Come have a taste. Gordon takes a while to warm up sometimes."

"Y-You sure?" Alan stammered.

"Like John said… I take a bit to get going. Uhhh ah…" Gordon growled. "Once I do… huuuh nnnuh… you'll know it." He then moved one of his arms to reach for him in an attempt to pull him close.

Alan obliged, taking hold of his hand and moving in close to kiss him passionately making John thrust harder and more possessive until Gordon had to break it off to breathe. Then Alan lay down on his back and slipped beneath Gordon and tenderly ran his hands over what was hanging over his head.

"If I knew what you were really hiding in that lingerie earlier," he teased, "I'd have demanded you to have joined yesterday and be the one tied up between us."

"Well I did offer up that choice, Al….uhhhh….Someone didn't think I'd make a good spank boy."

"Bigger fool me thinking you were just….mmmm saying that….so I didn't sleep with someone else." John growled, his dominance starting to show.

"A little."

"Only a little?"

"You didn't think after seeing those pictures I showed you that maybe…uhhhh ohh nuhhhh huuuh uhhhh…." Gordon's voice became uncomprehending as his body shuddered and his skin became all goosepimply at the touch.

"Enjoying it huh?" Alan growled hungrily from below. He gave an experimental lick and grinned when the monster stiffened and moved a little begging to be played with. He then ran his tongue up the wide length, nipping and kissing as he went, gearing himself up to take the massive girth in.

John gasped as he felt Gordon tighten around him, glanced down to see what Alan was up to and let out another possessive sound, wrapping his arms tightly around Gordon's waist and pushed as hard as he dared until he was certain he couldn't go in any further and moved his hips with more ferocity making Gordon yep repeatedly in-between incoherent groans.

"Oh man… I can't keep this up…" John panted, realising his pace was too much for him. As much as he'd love to stay deep within he knew he couldn't last. With several last thrusts he released himself, kissing Gordon's back over and over until he was able to withdraw, falling back on his backside, struggling to get his breath back. 

Alan shifted out from his spot to look at him and said, "I hadn't even got him there yet!"

"You won't. " John smiled deviously. "That's one you could ride for hours."

"Depends." Gordon collapsed against the coffee table. "After that? I have no idea." He reached for the dice, letting out a needy purr as his erection throbbed. He shook the lettered one vigorously in the same way he wanted to fix himself up before letting them fall against the hardwood.

An 'A' rolled face up. "Must I roll the second die? You already KNOW what I want to do with you."

"Just see where it lands Gordo." John chuckled with amusement at his desperation. He knew how freiocous the red head could be in the bedroom. Regardless of the roll there was no way Alan was going to be able to walk straight, Gordon had been drinking and had the libido of a wild stallion in the right conditions.

The die clattered against the table and John made a sound that made Alan flinch. "Is this good or bad?" Alan asked.

"Well you did tell me the day we caught you spying that you wanted a ride?" John laid it on thick. "Now's your chance… You may want some lube for this one."

Gordon rested his back against the base of the couch and folded his legs so they'd form a cradle, his aching body sitting proudly ready for action.

"You want to or shall I?" John whispered in Alan's ear.

"Don't force him." Gordon growled. "We don't have to."

"And leave that magnificent specimen straining, begging for affection?" John sniggered.

"You are both far more impressive. Lean, mean and long."

"Are we seriously going to do this? Compare our -"

"May as well, it's not like I can hide." 

"That's settled." Alan then got up and grabbed a clear bottle from off the floor. "Get ready, because this cowboy is going for a ride."

Gordon rolled his eyes. "Have you ever ridden before, Jackaroo?"

"Uh…"

Gordon gingerly took the bottle of lube from Alan's hands and squirted some on his palm, teasing and rubbing it all up the stocky length.

"Come here, I'll help." 

Alan nodded and did what he was told, letting Gordon guide him downwards onto his lap and very slowly introducing him to the monster, which made Alan yelp and shudder even before it fully penetrated.

"Nuhhh uhh ah! You're damn huge!" He cried out, gripping his fingernails into Gordon's thighs.

"Don't worry," Gordon purred in his ear behind him. "I'll only move when you tell me. "

John sculled a full can and belched. After his little jealousy episode he was surprised he wasn't having another one over this but then he also remembered his first 'rodeo' and how long it took to get used to. It's why Gordon was only 'sometimes' the dominant one in the bedroom because once he started…

Alan's head was thrown back into Gordon's shoulder, panting hard and moaning, calling his brother's name, mouth wide as he begged.

"If it's too much…"

"Nuh uhhhhh noway…not ever…dreaming about…this.."

"Al, you're drooling."

Alan rubbed the back of his head against Gordon's neck as encouragement. "C-come on…" he begged.

He felt his brother's hands reach around him to stroke his chest and hold his newly forming erection. "You ready?"

Slowly, Gordon's hips began to move. Alan arched back and cried out his name with a tinge of pain, making him pause slightly worried he had hurt him. "Alan…"

"Keep going… uhhh please…please."

"John?"

John looked up from cleaning himself and caught the concerned look in Gordon’s eyes. He was asking for some help to relax Alan's body otherwise nothing was going to happen and it wasn't exactly easy for him to do from behind though he was trying - but he couldn't do it alone.

The hands moved from around the front to Alan's back and started to massage his muscles, fluttering kisses along his shoulders as he slowly started rocking his hips as gently as he could. "Relax Al… you're too tense."

John shifted from his spot and got down on his knees in front of Alan placing his hands on the sides of his face, kissing him and parting his lips using his tongue to explore the inside of his mouth, taking some of Alan's attention… he seriously hoped he wasn't going to get his tongue bitten in the process.

Keeping lips locked was a challenge, as Gordon began moving his hips with more purpose, making Alan gasp and start calling both their names like a mantra. They were making him shiver, heighten every touch, every thrust, every kiss. The pampering was sending him over the edge, his lower body getting hotter and starting to throb, rubbing against the leather chaps. 

"That's it Al… give in to it. Enjoy it."

John broke the kiss and moved lower, his lips and tongue going to work on Alan's exposed nipples while his hands started to work his erection until they were starting to be slicked with his over excitement. 

"Uhhh on John, uhhh Gordon! Nuuuh!" 

"How long do you think you can go for?" John quickly directed this at Gordon when their eyes met again as Alan's body started to turn to orgasmic jelly.

"At this pace? A while." Gordon's voice purred. "You've both teased quite a lot. Unless you got a way to cut my stamina in half."

"Think you can handle more weight?"

"Probably. Can Alan handle being crushed in the middle?"

Alan threw his head back. "I don't care! Ahhh! Just do it! I wanna be nnnuh your slave!"

Gordon shifted his arms around Alan as John moved to sit on his lap facing him, letting out a pleasing moan as he guided Alan into him a as he got comfortable. John allowed Alan’s head to rest on his shoulders as he reached around to hold onto Gordon's to support and Gordon gripped his legs and pulled them around so both him and Alan were secure on his lap. The increased weight elicited a loud rumbling growl from him. Yep…this ought to do it.

Gradually he picked up the pace, encouraged by the combined voices of encouragement of both Alan and John, Alan limply wrapping one arm around Gordon's cross legged thighs and stroking it and the other doing the same down John's back in an effort to still contribute - until Gordon's thrusts became too fast and he had to hold on. John's grip on Gordon's shoulders tighten as well, even though the pace wasn't as fast for which was a good thing as Alan’s long impressive length couldn’t be forced deeper in if he tried. It felt so good though for some reason everytime John closed his eyes and threw back his own head in ecstasy he kept picturing it was Gordon instead of Alan his lover's voice being louder than he had ever heard it.

He felt strange, it wasn't jealousy this time but more a desire to do more with Gordon as this - this was rather impressive and he had admittedly started to under-estimate how strong a lover he could be. Hell, John had all ready covered himself and Alan in his own release twice and was certain Alan had done so within him but how they were sitting, how Gordon was able to work them both back up so quickly…

He knew when it was coming. John felt Gordon’s arms moving to keep Alan and himself secure when they stretched as far as they could to get a grip on his arse. Those final ejaculation thrusts causing both Alan and John to cry out, both shouting his name aloud.

As Gordon's grip loosened both Alan and John collapsed in a heap on the floor, Alan struggling to get his breath back as he lay still but John was getting up on wobbly arms and knees in an effort to crawl over to Gordon but only got as far as his lap where he plonked his tired head.

"That… was damn amazing."

Eventually Alan's own blonde head joined his resting in the cradle of Gordon's lap, snuggling itself there and nuzzling John too.

"How do you do this with him every night?" He asked quietly, smiling. 

John glanced up and his expression softened as he saw the lack of emotion in Gordon’s features.

"I- I don't… but maybe I should."

"Yeah well I don't think I'll be getting in between you like this again."

John sat up. "Really? That it?"

Alan nodded. "You two are WAY to intense for me."

"That's a shame. Was getting the hang of it."

"Were you REALLY?" John was shocked at Gordon's response. 

"Sure." Gordon shrugged. "Was hoping to go another round though maybe not trapped beneath you both. You decide where I'll go."

Alan sat up and scooted away. "Ah ha, not after that! I'm certain I'm not going to be walking straight for a week!"

John caught the sneaky grin that flicked across Gordon's face and realised that was his intention the entire game - give Alan too much of a good time that he'd not want another one for some time. As Gordon stood up John was quick to grab his arm. "This was your plan ALL along wasn't it?"

"What plan? I had just as much idea how the dice would roll as you do. What do you want? Me to have a smaller dick?" Gordon frowned. "If you don't mind, I need to take a slash, clean myself up and if anyone wants to still play… well I'm up for more. Looking at the both of you though? I'd say I'm better off wanking off in the shower since you two look utterly spent."

In the shower alone, Gordon rested his head against the tiles. Some of the alcohol was wearing off with a side order of guilt stepping in. Sure they were all consenting but something just felt off between him and John he couldn't put his finger on. There was every chance they'd stop their intimate shenanigans after the dust settled and the novelty of a threesome wore off for both John and Alan… Gordon wasn't sure if he was going to be able to accept it when it was finally time and nature took its course.

***

"Left early again? How long will he be this time?" Alan asked, sitting across from John at the kitchenette table with his jam on toast. Unlike John who was casually sitting around naked Alan had pulled on the loose shirt Gordon had given him prior as he still didn’t own much in the way of clothing other than all the leather he went crazy on. He was going to HAVE to buy some sooner or later. He was just lucky that Gordon's clothes weren't that much different in size to his own.

There was a slight hobble to Alan's walk, clearly he was still feeling either sore or full after the night's vigorous activities…. Gordon had been gentle on him too.

Gordon leaving early wasn't unusual but to have not said goodbye or how long he would be was… John was upset he didn't say anything, but what did he expect though? It was his mistake to have made an assumption that Gordon would be fine with him fooling around with Alan - he got what he deserved, but what he really hadn't expected was what happened last night.

"I don't know, you could try contacting him."

Alan went slightly red. "I sent a few… text messages, h-he hasn't replied though."

"Mmm" John felt like it was a long shot but it didn't hurt to ask, "He didn't say anything to you? beforehand, about him leaving?" 

"No." Alan shook his head. "I had fallen asleep on the couch last night and had no idea how I woke up in my room let alone where Gordon would be. I assumed… oh shit! I sent those photos while he was probably at work!"

"Photos? What photos?" 

"Well Uh… I um… look I was still pretty shit-faced-"

"Well check your history let's see…" Why did John have a bad feeling about this?

Alan handed John his phone, going even redder in the face. The messages were clearly written by someone who wasn't fully altogether mentally because they were some of the worst attempts at flirting John had ever had to joy to read.

Then, there were the dick pics.

"Its ahhh, not that bad…" John didn't sound very convincing as he must have made some kind of expression that betrayed his thoughts as Alan put his face into his hands.

"Fuck I'm such a IDIOT!" Alan swore. "Do you blame me though? Sure I can barely walk but man… he really makes you feel you're missing something, doesn't he?" Alan squirmed a little under John's gaze. "I mean he… I dunno guess it's like a physical piece that's missing when he-" Alan coughed when he realised what he was saying. "He's inside you."

Alan rested his chin on his arm and had a far away look in his eyes. "Seriously he's got the body of Adonis though if it wasn't for that girly stuff he's into, why is he into that anyway? How come it doesn't bother you?"

"Really Alan, that’s pretty narrow-minded." He replied bitterly. "Why should he have to live up to your expectations? The fact he is comfortable enough to be himself that takes real guts, his braver than either of us ever will be." 

John couldn't express how much he admired Gordon for being who he was and for Alan to base it all on his appearance - because that's what it was, wasn't it? Gordon was the manly bloke type because he looked like he should be, when he didn't have to please anyone.

He felt so irritated by Alan's comment he started putting clothes on.

Alan slunk back a little in his chair. "Just curious, same thing for you I suppose… how can someone as beautiful as you waste yourself on us, your brothers? Like aren't there other Bears and Twinks out there that'd be worth your time?"

"I don't know it's the way he makes me feel." John looked confused for a moment. He didn't know how to explain to Alan what he meant.

He finished dressing and headed out the door down to the sands, what were these feelings he felt, he didn't know.

Alan followed him outside. "Did I say something wrong? All I wanted to know was why you'd waste yourself on him when you could, I dunno… ask that really hot guy at work out? I saw you gawking at that Dustin fellow, you know the lovable hair bear with the tattoos." He eventually caught up to him and grabbed him by the shirt. "What makes Gordon different? Besides the monster down the trousers which, seriously if I don't get at LEAST one more ride…"

"I don't know Alan, I want to be with him, it wouldn’t feel the same somehow…" He sighs. "But yeah you're right this can't go on forever, whether we are caught or dad finds us someone we really like one day..."

Alan frowned. "Have you told him that? Or are you just planning to drop him like a rock in case what you assume might happen is true without any reason as to why?" He looked concerned, the blood nose Gordon gave him when he caught them still fresh in his mind. Surely John knew that he was walking on sharp glass here. "Though you don't seem convinced to me, You wouldn't have wanted me to have sex with you if you REALLY thought about it. I mean, fucking me is similar right? What's actually going on John?"

"NO, no!... I just thought it would happen one day, we would have to move on one way or the other." 

"So..sex with me was you moving on then?" Alan looked a little confused. "But then last night… why didn't you stop me and Gordon from doing it? I vaguely remember you kissing me and on my lap… but I really don't think I'd be forgetting 'him' there either in a hurry."

"I never said I wanted to stop with him, like I said I thought we would have to, so what difference would it make we may as well enjoy it while we can"

"So… you're saying he's free to anyone who wants in? Same as you?"

"I can't speak for Gordon but yeah I guess I am."

Alan raised an eyebrow. "So… I could just have sex with either of you whenever and not get another blood nose?" He grinned. "Want to help me send more dick pics?"

***

"Your phone has been going off all day, Tracy. What gives? Usually it's Troy's or the Commanders."

Gordon looked at his commanding officer and he was one of annoyance. "Sorry Lieutenant Casey I've only had it on because my partner was in pain yesterday. He thought it would be a clever idea to 'spice up' our bedroom antics with another person.

Lt. Casey gave her Sergeant at arms a confused look before replying, "I'm guessing that didn't end well."

"Well I'm getting unsolicited 'Dick Pics' from both of them so you tell me."

Casey started laughing "It's nice to know not just women get those damn things! Can I see?"

"Sure, go for it." Gordon handed her his phone. 

"My my, you are a popular one!" Casey chuckled. "The messages accompanying them though… they're concerning. "

"I know, that's why I haven't replied. I…I'm not just some sort of sex crazied manic just so you know."

Casey patted his shoulder. "I'm aware, don't worry. Which one belongs to your man?"

"I don't really know if he's mine anymore. Sure one night of silliness was fun but I-I don't know where I stand." Gordon looked despondent. John had multiple opportunities last night to stop Gordon and say something if he meant more to him than just sex. Waking up and realising he had sex with Alan wasn't exactly something Gordon wanted and had expected John to stop him. But through the patchy recollection he did have, it felt like he was egging him on, encouraging him to do it. Fuck he hated drinking, it was difficult to remember anything properly afterwards.

"Maybe it's a sign?"

Gordon snorted. "Maybe. I don't want it to be."

"You'll figure it out. Come on, we got some more of those experimental boats to look over. Is your dad really involved in the project?"

"Yeah, it's his company now funding it. Something is up and I don't like it, though he'll definitely be making sure less people die in the process."

"Then why do you think it's suspicious?"

Gordon frowned. "It just doesn't sound like something his company usually invests in. Sorry if that's not a satisfactory explanation, but it's plenty enough for me to be curious."

It turned out to be a short shift, though luckily it wasn't something that would keep him away for several days - at least for the moment. Unfortunately however it wasn’t uneventful, the reason for it becoming a short one had involved a trip to the hospital and Lt. Casey giving him a lift home.

"Are you sure you're alright by yourself? I can stay till your other half arrives."

Gordon shook his head. "They won't be long unless there's an important astronomy event going on in the skies tonight. Honestly all I'll be doing is resting so we'll be fine."

"Alright, but call us if no one's here and you need the hospital alright?"

"Sure. See you hopefully in a few days. "

When the WASP truck trundled off, Gordon went inside and simply collapsed on the bed in the shared bedroom, letting out a painful yelp. He adjusted his position in case lying on his bandaged arm would cause the stitches to open and drifted off into a light-headed almost like delayed shock sort of sleep.

In hindsight he should have changed out of his torn and bloodstained uniform but that would mean moving the tendons in his hand which while still intact had been seriously bruised from getting jammed in the machine's motor. He was lucky the pistons and the fan belt had malfunctioned otherwise when the electrical surge went through it he'd have lost his whole arm instead of just slicing it wide open and bleeding heavily everywhere. 

He kept shifting around uncomfortably, the drugs they gave him for the pain had been very strong and while they should have knocked him out completely they were instead affecting his libido. It's hard to sleep though a horny sexual fantasy but it was even more difficult when you're someone who once your stimulated, desperately needs something or someone to turn on the release valve.

He wrapped his arms and legs around the giant blue rabbit toy he had brought out to cuddle when he slept by himself the night before and gripped it tightly. His head and body might currently be compromised, but at least he would be able to control himself holding onto one of his stuffed animals. 

Thoughts from last night danced in his head - at least the parts he could vaguely remember and that you know what? Alan didn't taste or feel that bad but for all he knew it could have been the alcohol making him feel that or it could be the simple fact that he was still hurt by John and wanted some sort of comfort and would happily take it from anyone while intoxicated.

Right now the need and desire for comfort was obvious. Reaching out for it though had just become VERY complicated.

He groaned, rolling onto his injured arm but because the drugs were now kicking in he couldn't feel anything besides numbness on that entire side of his body. If he could have felt it, he would have realised he'd torn the stitching under the dressing as blood was weeping out onto the sheets and all over the bunny though being covered in it before hand didn't really help.

If he could sleep it off and shower before his brothers got home…

"I am going to make you forget about last night."

"Oh yeah? How you plan on doing that?"

Gordon stirred. Voices. Those voices… John and Alan must be home.

There was a thud on the bedroom door. "Oh I dunno, maybe once I'm inside you I can make you reconsider who's the best pony to saddle."

"You're making a lot of promises there John. You sure you can keep them?"

"Dare you to say that when my dick is inside you 'Smarty pants'."

Gordon couldn't help himself. The dirty talk outside the room was enough to push him over the edge. He let go of the toy and rolled on his back, wrestling one handedly to pull himself free of his tight uniform trousers.

He was on fire down there. Too bad he had already lost John to Alan by the sound of it but his brain was so stuffed at this moment he couldn't care that they were fucking each other against the door… infact it was making his own body beg to be satisfied, demand to be touched. His knees shifted up as he stroked his length up and down, injured hand trying to grip the sheets in desperation.

Fuck, why did his body think having long sexual encounters was the best way to be satisfied? There was NEVER such a thing as a quick wank to feel better and get on with whatever - no, it wanted him to enjoy it as long as possible.

"JUST FUCK ALAN ALREADY JOHN! PETE'S SAKE WE KNOW THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO DO!"

John stopped dead, he'd just managed to get his pants off and was working on Alan's.

"Gordon?" He looked at Alan.

"But the ute's not here!"

Gordon groaned then spoke aloud again. "If you're going to do it anyway… you could at least give us a hand before you do." He then mumbled something nasty while getting a little vicious with himself, realising that wasn't working either he then added, "Then I'll let you two go crazy, have the whole house yourselves to bone each other however you want! Just… just need relief."

"John, do you think he's ok?" Alan asked, holding back his brother's advances after watching him shrug at Gordon's plea.

Gordon's voice filtered through the door. "Nevermind, it's fine. Suppose there's plenty of stuffed toys I could probably fuck… no forget I asked. So what are you waiting for? Continue please… please do. Tell him how you're going to pound him till he's sore and suck him dry…uhhhh damn that's an image…uhhhh ohhhhh….ah!"

John growled "How could I ever leave him unsatisfied?" He smiled devilishly. "That would be rude don't you think?" He asked Alan.

"If you're both totally cool with it, I'm game!" Alan bounced against the door excitedly. Maybe there was a chance he could go round with both of them again? Ohhhh the idea was such a good one!

John opened the door to allow Alan in and wasn't fazed by the sight of Gordon's tattered and bloody uniform like the last time, fully accepting that it was probably something that happened to someone else and this need for relief was the typical one he needed to help him forget such a horrific day.

"Alan, would you be so kind as to strip down and get on your hands and knees? I think someone needs a good time with your expert tounge." John purred lustfully. Afterall with Alan bent over on the bed he could continue with what he planned to do and Alan wouldn't be getting that 'ride' from him he seemed to keep hoping for.

Alan hesitated. "You sure?"

There was a very needy growl from Gordon who he noticed had gripped himself harder in an effort to try and solve his problem. Without needing more prompting, Alan dropped his trousers and crawled onto the bed resting his hands gently on Gordon's raised knees. 

"Easy. Are you always this rough?" Alan spoke softly, nuzzling his face against his brother's legs. "Do it more like this…" he moved Gordon hand and tenderly ran his fingers up and down the lengh and let out an excited sound. "My, you're even more impressive when you're needy."

"Do you wear any underwear at all Alan?" John mused, not particularly paying attention to what Alan was doing, too busy undressing himself out of his own clothes. Man, he needed to feel the feedom of being unrestricted by them!

He eventually looked over Alan hungrily however something inside him started to bubble in the same way as it had when Alan had given Gordon head the other night too. Was it because watching was making him feel more switched on than he had been before or something else? 

The loud noises of desperation from Gordon were new. He had never heard them before. Maybe spicing things up WAS a good thing for them both? He had never considered that as a possibility.

John crawled onto the bed and started lavishing kisses all along Alan's spine, nipping and licking as he went before making his grand entrance and was a little taken back by how little noise Alan made. Maybe it was because his mouth was full? From what he could tell Alan was treating his other sibling like an icecream that was threating to melt everywhere - which in some respects was an accurate description. 

Suddenly, the playfulness he had in mind was gone, replaced with the desire to dominate and be in control. He made it pretty clear too with how his kisses and bites became more precise to match his strong thrusts, reaching under to stroke and tease him in hopes to get him to start loosing it and moan for more.

Unfortunately he didn't get what he was going for. Instead Alan started getting VERY involved with Gordon, tugging his trousers further and running his fingers along his abdomen making him shift his legs and his hips spasm wildly. Alan did pull back more than once to pin one of Gordon's legs down to avoid being kicked. "Hey, we're trying to help you!" Alan hissed before he returned to his cock teasing.

There was one way John knew that would stop Gordon squirming so much however regardless how he chose to do it, Alan had to either ride or -

John pulled out, slapping Alan's rump. "Get on him cowboy."

Alan sat up, suprised. "Really?"

"Yes." it was that or he was going to put his body inside of Gordon's and John liked that idea even less. All of a sudden John didn’t want Alan doing either of those things to Gordon and yet the oldest Tracy wasn't leaving him much of a choice. The redhead was going to be in agony the next time he went to the bathroom if they didn't sort him out. John had made that mistake once himself and landed him in hospital with a blockage in his testicular ducts. He didn't want that happening to anyone else.

John moved to clean himself up and helped Alan into position above Gordon before he fully removed Gordon's trousers and lifted his hips up for him to penetrate him as Alan slipped on to ride.

Gordon's body moved violently between them from the over stimulation, his back arched and thrashed forcing John to hold Alan in place.

"Uhhhh Ahhhhh….NUUUH!"

John started to move his hips, trying to elicit Gordon to move his as well, his hands shifting to grip the moving legs at his sides that were writhing around. 

"You're making this REALLY difficult Gordo!" John snapped. "Calm down or we can't help you out!"

Alan let out a purr and started making noises John wanted him to make earlier, so in response he snapped his own hips in motion even harder out of sheer jealousy and rage. How was this fair? Why couldn't he get the same response?

He was getting what he wanted though, just from the wrong person but because he wanted to prove to himself that he could make anyone feel fantastic he failed to notice, mistaking it for the grunts and moans in response to Alan being on top. Frustrated, he dug his nails into Gordon's legs. If he wasn't so caught up in his insecurities he'd have realised Alan had stopped and had lent forwards, shaking the redhead by the shoulders. 

"John, I think Gordon's out of it." Alan gave Gordon another shake, his head lulling limp on the pillow. "Does he often do this?"

"What? John snaps out the almost trance state he was in so focused on what he was doing he hadn't even noticed. "Gordon. " he gives his legs a shake. "Hey, Gordon." He gets no repose, its now he notices just how pale Gordon is and his bandaged arm through the shredded sleeve, the dressing coloured dark red.

"Oh shit. Alan, there's a med kit under the sink in the bathroom go grab it now!"

Alan quickly scrambled off Gordon and got his legs tangled in his brother's discarded trousers sending him bowling over on the floor. As he freed himself something fell out if the pocket of Gordon's work pants. 

He read the label.

"John, I don't think he was as lucid as we thought he was." He said worriedly, handing him the packet of pills before going to get the first aid kit.

Gordon stirred, letting out a whimper as he tried to get comfortable. He was still very much hypersensitive lower down but fighting exhaustion and medication was a battle he couldn't win. He'd wake up with pain down there but at least he could feel it. His arm? Not so much now as he drifted in and out of consciousness. 

"Gordon hey! Gordon!" John sat above him, tipping the side of his face. "Look at me Gordon!" He said, clicking his fingers to try and get his attention. "How many of these did you take?" He asked waving the box of pills in front of him, if Gordon had taken too many they could possibly overdosed, they would have to get him to the hospital for his stomach pumped if that were the case.

Alan came back with the kit and John started removing the bandage. Gordon's arm was a mess where a few stitches had broken, reopening the wound which had began bleeding, it had stopped now but the bandage was soaked, so he had lost a good amount of blood.

"Alan go boil some water and dissolve a good amount of salt in it, we need to clean him up."

Alan nodded and did as he was told, picking up his pants in the process.

John checked his pulse. It was steady and strong. He breathed a sigh of relief that he wasn't in need of medical attention then thank god.

There was another groan as Gordon uncomfortably shifted, his legs finding it hard not to catch himself. The arm ungracefully swung across as he rolled on his side, reaching across and gripping the bed sheet.

"John…." He mumbled barely coherent.

"I'm here, come on Gordon you're not making this easy. I'm trying to help you here." He tries to get him to turn back over as Alan comes back in with a bowl of steaming hot water.

 "Is he going to be ok?" Alan asked. If I knew he was…I wouldn't have ..." he hung his head. "That's twice I've…"

"It's not that bad, strong painkillers and the loss of blood have knocked him out. He'll be okay." John finished cleaning the wound and put a new dressing on. "That should do it, not the first time I've had to use my mandatory first aid training." He looked up to see Alan still looking worried. "He'll be fine. Just needs some rest, same as us." 

Alan sighed in relief. "That's…that's good to know. After the other day, I told him I didn't want to hurt either of you." His shoulders sagged as he sat down on the end of the bed by Gordon's feet. "I suppose we get him changed and swap the bedsheets?"

"Just the clothes. I'm sure he'll sort the sheets out himself tomorrow, in fact I know he will."

***

Waking up after taking medication was the worst. Gordon unfortunately had been given the strongest painkillers he'd ever taken and was still feeling groggy as he rolled over and almost out of bed. 

He begrudgingly sat up and discovered he wasn't in his uniform but in a really loose scrappy shirt and boxer shorts. The bed sheets were still very bloody though and he cursed himself for having no clue what happened after he got off of Lieutenant Casey's truck.

He wasn't alone in the bed either. John was to his surprise sleeping in pyjamas beside him and at his feet on the end of the bed Alan was stretched out in his Nasa uniform.

Through clenched teeth, Gordon carried Alan's sleeping form to his own room and tucked him in before checking his forehead and frowning, making a mental note to give him some herbal remedy for his temperature.

He then grabbed some clean sheets and changed the ones on the bed without disturbing John, his hand brushing his forehead also and making him pause. Maybe they both caught something from work? Strange that they both seem to be burning up, John worse than Alan.

He continued to tidy up and do chores, made some peppermint and lemon tea to take to his brothers as he checked on them again. 

Still no improvement, John was now breaking out in a sweat while Alan was flushed and groaning from muscle ache. 

Time to make a phone call.

When John finally wake he found himself alone in bed, he felt awful his joint were aching and he felt hot, sure it was always hot in the Northern Territory but he didn't usually feel this hot, he didn't really have a lot of time to think about it as he felt his stomach cramp and a rising sickness threaten.

He scrambled off the bed rashing for the bathroom, he thought he heard someone yelling his name as he did, he only just made it, before he started vomiting.

Gordon paused, "Hold on a second doc, we've got move - John? Are you feeling alright? Do you - ok ew… that… that is… Doc, we've got it coming out of both ends …yeah quickly checking on my other brother now… so far he's just puked on the bed, yeah? Uh huh, sure, yes, yes that would be REALLY great as soon as possible. Of course, keep them apart just in case, I can definitely do that -"

Gordon closed the bathroom door as a sickly smell started coming from there as the shower was being turned on. He knew he was going to be doing A LOT of cleaning today.

It would be a few hours before the doctor showed, so after he helped John all showered and redressed back to bed he scrubbed the bathroom from top to bottom before having his own shower, checked over his wounds and then proceeded to strip Alan's room back, at least to make the bedroom look normal instead of a sex dungeon.

Standing by himself in the kitchen, Gordon looked at the medication he knew he had to take and it dawned on him he wouldn't be able to look after either of his siblings if he was to take it. 

He'd have to call for assistance.

He looked up as a hunched figure huddled in blankets plonked down on the couch from Alan's bedroom.

"Alan, you need to be resting in bed."

"I don't feel good, can you make soup?" Alan looks at Gordon with puppy dog eyes.

"Sure. Beef, chicken or miso?"

"Chicken of course, everyone knows it's chicken when you're sick" Puts a hand over mouth looking like he'll be sick again.

It wasn’t long before there was a clatter of pots and pans, the sound of things being chopped and the noise from the exhaust fan from on top of the stove all of which were signs that the soup was being made from scratch. Cooking wasn't something the boys had the luxury of being forced to learn how to do until they were in university, along with chores and generally looking after themselves. For some of them they remained chores that if they could avoid, they would but for Gordon many of them had stuck though that might have had something to do with the fact he HAD to make his own meals when training and competing in professional sport at a younger age than the rest.

Soon the small shack was filled with the delicious smells of chicken and vegetable soup and a bowl was handed to Alan before Gordon slipped into the bedroom to leave some by John's bedside as he checked on him. As he came back out he asked, "Any aches, pains, rashes I should know about so I can tell the doctor when they arrive?" 

"I'm asking…as I'm worried you both got something from work and if you did I'd have to call and report it." Gordon pinched his brow with his good hand, the other one hanging unusually limp at his side. Pain that had been pushed aside was starting to catch up with him but he needed to hold out as long as he could - John and Alan needed him to be awake and able to look after them, not collapse on the floor unconscious.

"My legs and arms hurt, so does my stomach a bit, I think I have a rash on my thigh… is it really hot or is that just me?" 

"Er… it is warm but that's because it can still get to thirty six degrees up here during the day.. that's not what you're asking is it?"

Gordon stuck a thermometer in his brother's mouth and checked him over. "You really need to be in bed Al-"

He was interrupted by John making a desperate run for the bathroom again. This ain't good.

"I don't think I have enough buckets and I can't leave you guys alone to get anything heck even if I could I'd be gone for hours on foot as I can't drive John's bike. I don't know how long it would be before the doc gets here… give us a look at the rash."

Alan didn't look too happy to be made to drop his trousers but the look on Gordon's face was enough to make him comply.

"Oh… fuck. Alan, I need you to be VERY upfront with me. Who else have you been sleeping around with besides John and me?"

Alan suddenly felt very small while his shorter, stocky brother became very menacing despite how injured he was.

"Well while I waited for John's shifts to finish as they kinda went FOREVER I kinda slipped into this really interesting bordello just down the road by the truck stop…man some of those dancers can really do amazing things with their bodies even the guys do some fantastic pole dance….er…"

"How many Alan?" Gordon clenched his good fist tightly.

Alan winced. "Three ladies and two blokes. I swear they were clean though!"

Gordon started in disbelief. Parts of him were bubbling with fury and were itching to punch him but what would it achieve? The damage was already done. He already was aware they were probably fooling around behind his back - to what extent he wasn't sure - but for Alan to be messing around beyond that?

There was every chance he could end up as sick as they were. He did have sex with both of them during that game he had to HOPE it happened afterwards.

"Just… I don't know. If you vomit or shit yourself, you're cleaning up your own mess."  

With that said, Gordon went to check on John who was shivering at the bottom of the shower, still in clothes that were covered in god knows what.

Gordon opened the small window and forced his sibling to stand up to strip him down, making the shower hotter so he could clean him up before helping him out, sitting him on the toilet seat to towel him down.

When he was on his knees drying John's feet he said softly without looking his brother in the eyes, "You know if… if things were so bad that you wanted to leave me for someone else, you could have just said so instead of having Alan be involved. It probably wouldn't have led to this for a start… but I'd have understood it."

"Long as I'm your brother though, I'll look out for you even if things are messy between us. I don't expect it to return but I want you to know I never regret telling you how I felt that evening and while I'm a little hurt… those feelings aren't easy to shake." He stood up and helped John unsteadily to his feet and slowly walked him back to bed, Alan sheepishly glancing at them as they passed.

After a few minutes, Alan watched as Gordon re-entered the bathroom, came out with the grossest smelling clothes and headed for the tiny laundry.  Feeling a pang of guilt that this was his fault he made his way to the bathroom to help with the cleaning, though he probably only added to the mess as the smell hit him full on making him throw up.

He heard a loud sigh behind him.

"Don't worry I was going to help clean up, I just… the smell…"

"It's ok Alan. Just please rest. Let me handle it."

"But its my -"

"If it wasn't you, it'd be someone else. No Alan… if anything this has been a favour for something I should have seen coming. Guess I'm as dumb as you all think I am afterall." Gordon mumbled helping Alan up. "Please, just do me a favour if you can't lie in bed to just rest on the couch."

Alan gave Gordon a glance and shook his head. "I'll help first,  THEN be a ill blob on the couch. You shouldn't be doing this either with your arm in case of inf - " he stood up and made it to the toilet to puke some more.

At least, that was one Gordon didn’t have to clean.

***

"You look like something has died."

Gordon snorted. "Good to see you too Virgil. Honestly after three days of this - this going on I feel like I've been sent to purgatory."

He opened the door wider and before Virgil could step inside the smell of vomit, diarrhoea and disinfectant slapped his older sibling hard.

"Yeah, you get used to it. I can no longer smell jack of anything and every single door and window I can open has been so the entire time." Gordon coughed hard. "They've both been so sick I haven't even been able to step out for fresh air as I'm afraid that any second I'm going to be unclogging a sink, shower or toilet and washing soiled clothing."

Virgil looked his shorter sibling up and down and noticed the slight twitching from the arm he wasn't using while talking - something rather odd for Gordon who could be very expressive entirely with gestures while speaking.

"Did something happen to you as well?"

"Uh… yeah, work accident. No big deal though Virgil, I have it sorted. It's keeping John hydrated and getting both to keep food down that's the main challenge right now. I don't want them in the hospital but at this rate…" Gordon sighed. "That's where they really should be right? But the nearest hospital is in Darwin and I-"

"Don't let him…fool you with that Virgil." Croaked a voice from the direction of the couch. "He hasn't used his arm since he tore the stitches. Tis' probably… infected."

"Just go back to bed will you Alan!" Gordon snapped. "You're not going to get any better if you don't rest!"

"That bed is uncomfortable….besides, I want to be within reach of the toilet."

Gordon groaned. Alan had a point, especially since he had been vomiting alot on and off. At least he was the easiest of the two to look after and didn't require changing bed sheets more than twice.

"Alright." Gordon gave in. It's not like it made much difference anyway, even with Virgil here he couldn't leave John and Alan to see a doctor and to get one out wouldn't be until tomorrow as it was too late for them to travel safely without getting lost on the way.

He led Virgil into the kitchenette and Alan, despite the layers of blankets, peered over the couch in fear he'd miss out on something.

Gordon took off the shirt he was wearing to hide his injury but even before he touched the bandage it was obvious his skin was slightly discoloured from an infection. "I haven't been able to move it properly since I was knocked out on the meds they prescribed me. I can barely do anything with my hand without serious pain."

"Ohh that looks nasty." Alan whistled. "You know I bet if John asked you about it you'd have shown him straight away but NOOOO… I asked so you -"

"Alan, please knock it off otherwise I'll…" Gordon's frame slouched against Virgil. "I can't do this anymore. I just need a minute."

"You need more that that Gordon, you need to -"

Gordon pushed himself upright and started to stomp over towards the couch."Seriously Alan if you don't stop I'll-" he didn't get to finish his sentence as his legs collapsed under his weight and he landed in a heap on the floor. "Shit!"

"You could say that again." Alan snorted, pulling a face which made him look more like the living dead than intended. "You have been smelling of it a lot lately."

Virgil got down beside Gordon and sat him upright before checking his arm, unwrapping the bandages and whistling. "It'll probably be alright if I clean it up. It's not infected, yet. Let's keep it that way."

He shot Alan a warning glance daring him to say something but the younger Tracy had to get up to go to the bathroom where a lot of horrible noises were now coming from. "No wonder you're in a foul mood Gords, I'd have lost my mind dealing with that for three days. John isn't giving you Alan's attitude too I hope?"

Gordon shook his head. "John's barely been lucid, even when he does manage to make it to the bathroom. He's got it the worst but Alan hasn't been too bad. You'd be a shitty person too if you were vomiting every time you ate something."

He let Virgil fuss over his wounds and patch them back up before helping him off the floor. 

"Take the stuff Alan said you have, finish whatever you were doing before I arrived and get some rest. I'll take over until you wake up and we divide and conquer what needs to be done."

Gordon wasn't about to argue. "Sure Virge. Cleaning up after these two might be a heck of alot easier that way."

After an hour or so, Gordon went to check on John, plonking a glass of water and a bowl of pumpkin soup down on the bedside table before he got to his knees so he was level with John's feaverish face. He ran his fingers through the limp damp platinum strands of hair before laying his own head against the bedside, letting exhaustion overcome him.

"I don't care that we're through after this and back to just being ordinary brothers." He mumbled. "I just want you to get better, want you well again. I love you more than anything and want whatever you think is best…that will never change, I promise."

John turned his head to look at him, he felt like he'd been on death's door for the last few days, wondering when this would end.

"You really deserve a better brother than I've been lately."

"You're sick, can't be helped." Gordon slurred groggily. The medication was kicking in hard. Virgil had been pretty clear that he wasn't allowed to avoid taking it anymore. Fuck it was hard to think with all this sudden brain fog. "Only human."

"You know what I mean."

He tried sitting up only to slouch again. "Virgil's going to take over while I sleep. Then I can again. Though he might do a better job…" Gordon's voice trailed off as he started to give in to much needed rest, his head brushing up within reach of John's fingertips as his body sagged against the side of the bed while he sat on the floor.

"Gordon get into the bed, I'm going to throw up again." John says, shaking him by the shoulder as he gets up, before rushing off to the bathroom.

John's mad dash wasn't unnoticed, Virgil quick to follow him to make sure he didn't miss the toilet as he puked. He stood watching a few minutes before going to check to see if Gordon did as he was told, only to find him asleep on the floor beside one double bed. 

Surely John and Gordon weren't sharing a bed were they? Admittedly the room wasn't big enough for two singles but allowing Alan to stay would have meant they had some sort of spare room right? No, the shack was far too small for that. 

Something fishy was going on here. 

He picked Gordon up with a loud grunt as he was heavier than his short stature suggested and put him to bed, tucking him in and brushing his reddish brown hair before turning around to see John sluggishly standing in the doorway.

"I didn't realise you slept in the same bed." Virgil said carefully.

"We weren't before Alan wanted to move in and it's a small place so not a lot of options."

"Yeah I can see that, though it isn't ideal with you sick. How did you and Alan get ill anyway?" Virgil queried. If it was something they got from work or by eating Alann's cooking he'd like to know just so he could minimise Gordon getting sicker or himself going down the same rabbit hole.

There was an uncomfortable groan from the bed behind him. The medication Gordon had been avoiding taking so he could be awake at a moment's notice was having the unexpected and unwanted effect on his libido again while unconscious.

"Why…what's Alan got…that makes him suddenly exciting? What's changed?" Gordon uttered in-between frustrated and uncontrollable barely lucid groans. "I…I can do whatever you want….to if you ask."

Virgil frowned, glancing at Gordon and back to John. "Is he ok? I didn’t know Gordon had a girlfriend? I thought he was gay?"

"Not that I know of, I'm sure when he wants to say something he will."

If John had learned anything over the last few weeks it was he and Gordon were terrible at keeping shit private, Alan's reaction when he found out was completely unexpected but Virgil… he didn't even want to think about it and Gordon now chatting away in his sleep… How was he going to keep him quiet?

"Guess he's keeping stuff from both of us then. Shame, I could have warned him about Alan if he had." Virgil shrugged. "I thought I had problems but yikes, at least I don't spend all my hard earned cash on strippers and bordellos."

"If he's feeling up to it maybe I could go surfing with him. He still does that right?"

"I'm sure…" John put his hand over his mouth and made a run for the bathroom again. "I think I'll just stay here." He finally said to no one in particular after he had emptied the contents of his stomach again.

Virgil frowned. Something fishy was DEFINITELY going on around here. He sighed and went to get some clean clothes for John out of one of the cupboards and stood still as he gazed within.

Where were their casual clothes? All that he could see was where the uniforms were hanging up for the both of them. Obviously they HAD to own some, otherwise they wouldn't be wearing anything would they?

There were A LOT of boxes marked 'Gordon's' all piled neatly in the bottom so he lifted the lid on one, hoping it contained a designer shirt or something John could at least borrow.

"What the fuck is all of this?" He muttered in shock, carefully lifting the white satin and lace baby doll out from the box. The writing on the box read 'Claire's sexy apparel for men' but it clearly look like something designed for a woman, at least until you noticed the extra fabric in the groin area.

Morbid curiosity got the better of him and he opened another box, finding a pastel coloured camisole with a G-string with a note and photos hiding underneath it.

Well now… this explains everything, though he will have to be absolutely sure before he did anything in case he was wrong… but he had a deep suspicion he wasn't.

***

Gordon hadn't felt this good in ages. Sure, there was still the problems he had with John and Alan but right now after a decent sleep he could finally feel the fingers in his bruised hand and was rather grateful Virgil was able to take over - even if only for twenty four hours.

Now refreshed, he could send Virgil back home and help his other brother's who seemed to finally show signs they were on the mend, Alan no longer vomiting and John at least sitting upright long enough to read a few books.

Wanting to say thank you, he had started preparing a decent dinner of Sea Bream with some special sauce he created. With his headphones on and dancing around the kitchenette to Footloose, he was in his element as they weren't ever really let loose in the kitchen when they lived with their father.

It was the one thing Gordon loved about being made to fend to himself, learning to do everything that his privileged position would often have someone else do.

Unfortunately, when you're in the zone you don't see when dangers are about to present themselves.

Thick strong arms wrapped around his waist tight, pulling him close to a what felt like a solid brick wall.

He froze like a dingo caught in a car's headlights as the grip of the arms tightened around him leaving nowhere to run.

Virgil lowered Gordon's headphones and purred "Something you need to tell me about the lingerie hiding in your wardrobe?"

Gordon swallowed. "Snooping around huh?"

"Not initially." Virgil growled. "But I did find some interesting bits of paper and photographs."

Gordon wished at this very moment he didn't have a knife in his recovering hand. Virgil manoeuvred it without resistance until the blade was touching the skin of his throat.

"Tell me the truth Gordon. Are you selling our younger brothers for sex?" Virgil's voice rumbled. "I can easily make you have an accident if you're telling me a lie."

"What? No why -"

"Remember, accidents will happen."

Gordon clenched his eyes shut as the point of the blade was pricked into his skin to enforce the point.

"What sort of photos? The only ones there should be of me." He swallowed, choosing his words very carefully. If Virgil was treating him like this, there was every chance Alan and John could be in serious danger as much as his body spraying blood everywhere if he didn't think quickly. "I'm the one… selling myself for sex." He lied. "I need the cash for a new ute and my wage didn’t cover that sort of expense. I was hoping with the job I told you about…that I could stop."

"Why didn't you-"

"Didn't what? Use my supposed college funds? Virgil I have none left! And unlike you guys I invested pretty poorly so I think I should get myself out of my own hole I dug without asking others to bail me out."

"If that's the case, you don't mind helping me burn it all?"

"Con-considering I was going to eventually?" Gordon breathed out harshly, aware he'd cut his own skin on the blade. Truth be told he was thinking about throwing the entire collection away since everything seemed to be falling apart and he wasn't feeling as confident in his body as he used to. Losing John to Alan had seen to that. "Are you satisfied you've pulled up all my dirty laundry?"

"I don't think you're telling me the whole truth Gordon." Virgil growled. "You were talking in your sleep about Alan being better than you."

"Didn't anyone tell you? I HAD a boyfriend until Alan showed up. Sure, it wouldn’t have lasted if they found out what I was doing but it didn't take long before he was sweet talking his way down my partner's pants."

Gordon knew throwing Alan to the wolf was a terrible idea but at least he could see a way out without having his or any of his sibling's throats slit.

"Alan going through a tough time," Gordon ventured, wondering himself just how much sleeping around with people Alan had been doing prior to staying with them. It did seem really odd he was straight away into the fetish gear when they first asked him to 'play'. "I Can't hold that against him, no one should. Better than him hooking up with strangers in nightclubs."

Virgil snorted. "He's our brother. You damn should be conc-"

"Should I be when I'm selling my own body? I don't think it's my place to Virge. Sure I was upset but things were falling apart anyway." Gordon risked a glance at the large windows. He silently prayed no one could see Virgil threatening him through them. "You may try and stop me throwing my life away but you certainly don't have the right to tell me what to do with my body, same goes for Alan and heck John too."

John had been down on the beach with Alan getting some flesh air. After being inside for the last couple of days felt like it would do him some good and he was finally seeing a light at the end of a tunnel, well he did til his stomach started to churn, sending running for the bathroom again.

But the rising sickness was quite forgotten when came upon the scene of Gordon and Virgil in the kitchen, he stopped dead in the doorway unable to find his voice, that he never even heard Alan coming up behind him, only snapping out of it hearing Alan say.

"Whoo what's going on?"

Virgil lowered the hand which held the knife before letting Gordon go and turning around, assured that there was no way his brother was going to mention their conversation to anyone. "Not much, Gordon asked for some help with cutting something difficult. Isn't that right Gordo?" He smiled, slapping Gordon on the back.

"Y-yeah. I think I'll just make something easier than sushi if it's all the same to you, Virgil." Gordon refused to turn around, clutching the bench shaking in terror. He knew if he did everyone would know that Virgil had threatened him.

Alan shrugged his shoulders and headed back down to the beach.

But something didn’t seem right to John. 

The tension in the air was thick, he had definitely walked in on something. 

However his stomach decided to remind him of where he was headed, forcing him back on his original path to the bathroom.

When the room emptied, Virgil turned back to Gordon and whispered, "Remember, if you're lying… you're going to be washing up on that beach without a head."

"Why not just do it now Virgil?" Gordon hissed back. 

"Because the fact that you know I will might straighten you out."

"Doubt that very much."

***

"How are you feeling today?" Gordon asked John as he walked into the kitchenette a few days later. Things had been really strange since Virgil held a knife to him, Gordon choosing to keep his distance by going back to work. There had also been the huge beach bonfire he was made to watch - while John and Alan slept - with Virgil throwing every stuffed animal, every expensive sexy outfit and every single photo John had taken of him posing for the camera onto the pile, everything that Gordon felt made him as a person was up in smoke. He even had to do a phone wipe before Virgil found all the messages his siblings had sent him just to be certain that no one else was going to be in his shoes.

He had seen Virgil talking to Alan too, though whether it was about the S and M stuff or the brothels he wouldn't have known… but with how Alan spoke to him afterwards it was obvious he thought Gordon ratted him out.

He was on the end of a rope and it wouldn't be long before it became a choke hold.

"I'm sorry I haven't been around to make you feel better lately, unfortunately I had to go back. Had to pick up the rust bucket from where I had to leave it."

"Its… don't worry about it, Gordon what's going on with you? And you know what I mean, I saw down at the beach…why?"

Gordon was quick to put the bench between himself and John, sure John wouldn't physically hurt him but with how hostile Alan was with him as well as Virgil he wasn't entirely sure who was safe to be around. 

"Saw what? Virgil thought to do a mass clean out as if we all were carriers of the plague. He burned a lot if things, said it was better to just nuke all the germs."

John was very thrown off guard by Gordon's reaction how defensive he was.

"Wow, okay you don't have to snap at me, sorry." Should he push he wasn't sure it had been feeling like they were drifting apart lately, that was very much on his part it wouldn't surprise him if Gordon no longer wanted to confide in him.

"No… I- I'm sorry. Things have been a bit all over the place. Virgil wants us to all get back to normal… and then get you guys to move to Alice with him. The drive to the observatory is the same from there. He doesn't want you guys where he can't stop you getting sick again." Gordon forced a smile. "It'll be better anyway since I'm going to be here even less. I took a new position in Wasp so who knows what the new schedule will be."

"Besides," Gordon shrugged. "You won't miss me that much, I mean I've seen you and Alan getting along just fine and I don't think I want to be a third wheel."

"What! What the fuck Gordon?" John stood up from where he was sitting, Gordon flinched from his sudden aggressiveness. "What why? What about us? Wait…" It suddenly dawned on him Gordon's odd behaviour, his stuff burnt on the beach and whatever he had walked in on.

"Who decided this you or Virgil?" He lowered his voice. "Does he know?

"Both. Scott's coming here apparently to…sort me out."

"Sort you out?" John dreaded to think just what that entailed.

"Listen, Virgil's been snooping around and let's face it you and I -"

"Wait, is that why?... so you do think he knows -"

Virgil entered and locked the door as he closed it backed him against the nearest wall before walking past. There was a brief moment where the reality of being caught was becoming very dangerous as John saw a glimpse of fear that crossed Gordon's face.

Virgil walked around the bench and started to make himself a coffee at the stove before casually saying aloud, "I cleaned out Alan's room yesterday. Found a lot of… interesting stuff that he seemed to have no idea where it came from. Would you happen to know anything about that?"

"I told you the other day, I had a few 'clients' who were into fetishes." Gordon's voice lowered and spoke carefully. "That stuff was put in storage the moment too many people were in the hous-"

"Incest is a serious crime." Virgil interrupted him before placing a camera he found on the kitchen bench and pressing play on the viewfinder. While there was no sound it was pretty obvious that one of the participants was indeed John though the identity of the other person was covered by full head cat mask.

With one swift movement, Virgil had pinned The sleeve of John's shirt to the bench with a sharp kitchen knife, yanked Gordon from the chair and held his face inches from the element on the electric stove. "What did I say about lying to me? That - that VIDEO is PROOF YOU ARE A FUCKING SICK PIECE OF SHIT."

"IT'S NOT ME! I FUCKING SWEAR IT!" Gordon shouted, desperately trying to struggle free. There was every chance he could burn himself trying to do so but at least it wouldn't be held against it until the skin blistered and bled. "I'm not the only one who has a boyfriend around here you know!?"

"No, you're just the one who's a creepy sexual deviant!" Virgil's voice bellowed.

"Why the hell would I film myself having sex with anyone after what I told you!? It would be fucking stupid!" Gordon growled back before yelping as Virgil pressed his face down enough to scold the left side of his face before lifting it off the hotplate. 

"GORDON!" John screamed as he desperately tried to free himself. "STOP IT! I'm into some kinky fucking shit but I'd NEVER do that!" He'd given up trying to rip his shirt free and was just trying to get it off.

Virgil's head turned but he didn't dare let up from holding Gordon hostage. "Oh? Then who the hell is it tieing you up and taking you for a ride?" He lets out a vicious snort. "If it's one of those creepy fuckers Gordon admits he sells his body to then he WILL be held accountable. Supposed to look AFTER you not hore you out for cash!"

"I told you I didn't!" Gordon shouts, his voice filled with obvious pain. "Other people have sex lives too you know! I didn't even know John was using the equipment let alone filming himself and his partner! Why don't you believe me!?"

"You know EXACTLY why I don't believe you!" Virgil snapped, the overly protective side becoming more ferocious.

"So you found lewd photos of me that I give out to people who pay me for sex! It doesn't mean I'd stoop so low as to do that to my own siblings!" Gordon yelled desperately, trying even harder to get free. For his attempted efforts he managed to at least get Virgil's grip on his hair to loosen but at the cost of his face making contact with the hotplate again.

"For fuck sakes stop! He didn't know!" Finally free of his shirt, John tried to pull Virgil off Gordon but he was too strong for him and Virgil easily held him back. "I was experimenting. Gordon didn't know, I didn't want anyone to know!"

Virgil gave John a dark look. "You mean to tell me you're as BAD as this idiot?" He jerked Gordon upright away from the stove and John could see the blisters starting to form around the temple and cheekbone where they had made contact with the stove.

"Being into fetish gear isn't a crime." Gordon snapped.

"It should be and what YOU were doing was DEFINITELY one."

"I don't see how! It's not like it's any of business!"

Virgil drew Gordon up so they were nose to nose and spat in his face. "It is MY BUSINESS when MY BROTHERS are the ones COMMITTING DEBATUARURY." 

Gordon couldn't help himself and before he realised he had said it, the kitchenette filled with the words, "At least we HAVE SEX LIVES unlike SOME people."

He winced and recoiled, bracing for the broken nose that would come. 

Virgil seemed shocked for a moment. Same as Gordon, John could see what was coming. He grabbed Virgil's arm as he pulled back but he shook him off and John got elbowed in the nose for his trouble.

"Ahh FUCK!" John reeled back, he saw blood start dripping onto the floor.

Virgil's grip on Gordon loosened as he tossed him aside and dragged John up to his feet before directing him around. "Pack your stuff. We're leaving soon as Alan is back. He shot Gordon a look. "AS for YOU, I'll be asking Scott to drop by as soon as possible to get your shit sorted out as if you can't, I'll tell dad and you can endure the full wrath that'll entail."

"Can I at least tend to John's-"

"Absolutely not. You've corrupted him enough for now." Virgil snarled, making both the younger Tracy's jump a little in fright.

"Fine. At least let me pack some of his things while you clean him up. Blood doesn't come out of a white uniform."

Virgil didn't look impressed but waved it off. "Fine."

As Virgil escorted John into the small bathroom out of Gordon's sight, Virgil started filling the sink and said, "Why are you covering up for him, Johnny?"

"For who? Gordon?" John replied annoyed through a mouthful of blood. "I don't understand how you got this idea in your head, that we ever would do something like that." He wasn't sure he sounded very convincing though.

"I saw the clothes and the photos, John. Though to be honest, I'd rather those were taken with them on you." Virgil snorted, making sure he had blocked the only exit. 

"What?" John was genuinely confused now, was Virgil saying he was interested in him that way?

"You heard me. Gordon doesn’t quite meet the 'standard' for being a fuckable fairy. You, on the other hand…" Virgil's voice trailed off as he advanced, towering over John like a strong stone golem and reaching out to grab his jaw roughly and tilt his head from side to side. "Gordon better not have touched you…" 

He roughly kissed John, forcing him against the outside of the shower glass. "I claimed you first and if he has so much as…." Virgil snarled, grabbing John lower down and squeezing tightly. "I will kill him."

John was in complete shock as his brain tried to catch up on just what was happening, Virgil grabbing him certainly made the reality of it hit and he believed him when he said he would after what he'd seen Virgil do he wouldn't put it past him now. "No like I said… Gordon didn’t even know…" He replied, gasping in pain.

"Absolutely sure? As it wouldn't take much to take him down the beach to drown him if he had… he still has to take those pills." Virgil then pinned John roughly to the glass and yanked John's pants down just enough before reaching for a hand towel and stuffing it in his siblings mouth.

"Just in case you decide to call for help. Wouldn't want to have to kill both of you now would I?"

***

Concentrating on the job at hand was hard. Sure, Gordon wasn't sad to see Alan leave but knowing John wouldn't be there when he got home cut in deep and made him ache inside. It had been a long while since he lived alone and he wasn't sure he wanted to go back to it.

Still, he managed to get through most of the shift and at least talking to his father who had no clue what was going on with his sons was a breath of fresh air. Though the conversation could have been better than talking about how the factory Virgil worked for manufactured the parts for the hydrofoil project he was a test pilot for.

At least lying about the burns to his face was easy, considering he also had a lovely permanent scar now along his arm and could just let his father believe that they were from the same incident. He wasn't going to query it anyway and all things considered, was probably the only person left to trust his judgement on anything.

He had to hang in there till he got home where he could fall apart without anyone to judge him for it.

"Who was on the call, Son?" Jeff queried as Gordon hung up his retro mobile phone and stuffed it into his pocket. Jeff had asked him to join him for lunch while he was on his break and it felt rude to have refused. 

"Just Virgil Dad. John and Alan are moving to stay there."

"Oh? How come?" Jeff looked surprised. "John once told me Virgil was extremely dull and I distinctly recall Alan being desperate to leave after one day of his holidays there. Been a disagreement between you?"

"You could say that. More Virgil doesn't think my place is sufficient enough for the likes of our family."

Jeff gave Gordon a intrigued look. "Your place doesn't look as bad as the pig farm my grandfather owned back in Utah. If anything it's a young man's paradise."

"Glad I'm not the only one who thinks that." Gordon smiled. Jeff was pleased to see it, but it wasn't normal for his most cheerful of the five to mope around like the world had been ripped out from under him.

"Maybe I can bring him round to let them stay?"

"No, that… that probably would just make things worse. Virgil has already voiced his opinion and frankly the last thing I want is to anger the gentle giant. Everyone tells me he's got a punch like a steel girder moving at high speed and I don't doubt getting into an argument or having you get involved over it will go well."

Jeff let out a sigh. He wished he didn't insist on his sons sorting things out amongst themselves at a young age, when he could see very clearly that one son's decision was going to upset the lives of several others just by sheer pug headedness. However Gordon is twenty now and capable of dealing with his siblings' stupidity without having Jeff step in to pry open the wound.

"I'm not entirely on my own dad. Scott supposedly is meant to drop in to check that I'm not dead and well, you're here with me as long as we're on this project together so it's not likely to get lonely."

"As long as you're ok with it, Son. You know I'm happy to step in if you need it."

Gordon smiled wearily. "Thanks, Dad but this is one job you don't need to put on your to-do list."

 

The car ride to Alice Springs was incredibly awkward after the quick 'session' at Virgil's mercy mixed with Alan's whining every few minutes about how there was nothing to look at but red dirt and bare trees.

After twelve hours they had stopped at a hotel for the night which Alan did not appreciate how cheap the place looked and moaned about it even though Virgil gave him the keys to the one room where he could have a bed to himself.

John didn’t care. He was emotionally drained after the turn of events that he just lay down on the bed he was given and fall asleep.

He was woken eventually by someone getting in the bed beside him, grabbing and groping, pulling at his clothes roughly trying to remove them in desperation and forceful possessiveness before pinning him under a lot of weighted muscle and be assaulted.

After several aggressive 'rounds', Virgil finally fell asleep with John trapped in his arms, his body still being violated from powerful sudden thrusts that John only managed sleep after complete exhaustion as his body gave up fighting.

He was alone when woke. If it wasn't for the discomfort he felt he could have pretended it never happened - a nightmare that he never thought he'd suffer.

Was this it? Was this what things were going to form now on? The thought of it made his eyes tear up. He had to remain strong and remember why he gave into to this. Any pain he felt now would be nothing compared to the thought of losing Gordon gone forever.

 

Coming home to an empty house with the lights all off sent a shiver down Gordon's spine. He should have done something to stop Virgil taking his brother's back to Alice Springs but the truth was that if he did it wouldn't have been appreciated and his relationship with John was already beyond rescue, knowing full well at least he himself would be wrestling with a broken heart while his brother happily moved on with things.

It wasn’t just the void of John and Alan leaving that hurt. Everything that made up Gordon's own identity since having his own independence was gone too. The house was bare, like no one lived in it. 

As he sat on the couch that for the first time since he bought it was free of other person's clothes his mobile rang.

It was Scott.

"Hey Gordon, listen; Virgil's filled me in with everything that's been going on with you and asked if I wouldn’t mind helping you sort stuff out like I have been with his alcohol -"

"I don't need 'fixing' Scott." Gordon pinched his brow as he tried not to crack. "Virgil's just… look, I had to lie to him ok? He was never going to believe me if I was to flat out tell him that I - someone who is comfortable with my own sexuality - enjoy taking photos of myself in lingerie without something sinister going on."

"What about the video footage he found of John? You tell a lie there too?"

"Well sort of. Honestly I knew he was into something obscure but I didn't think he'd be crazy enough to film himself in the act of it." Gordon held out on the lie with his answer this time, knowing full well anything he said would be relayed to Virgil and he didn't want John to be threatened like he did. The blisters after all had now opened and left nasty wounds he was concerned that would never heal. If Virgil was capable of that level of violence when angry, he didn't want to know what he would do if he found out the truth.

"Scott, Virgil got instantly violent with me before I could explain anything and had already assumed the worst. It wouldn't have mattered what I said to him. Please, stay there and keep an eye on him as I wouldn't be surprised he's suffering withdrawal and easily triggered."

"You're just saying that to -"

"He held a knife to my throat and burned my face against the hotplate on the stove. I had to tell dad it was part of the accident I had at work just so he wouldn't go in guns blazing and risk anyone else getting hurt. I'm telling you because you're the only one I trust to sort it out without someone ending up in hospital. Virgil doesn't lash out at you the same way he does with the rest of us."

He could hear Scott sighing heavily. "You absolutely sure?"

"Yes."

"Right. Well you'll call me if you need, I'll be there in a flash."

"Thanks, but I think I'll be ok. It's not as if I don't see Dad everyday at work now. If there's a problem I'll tell him ok?"

"You sound more level headed than some of the guys at the base."

"I wish I was Scott. I just know when to leave something alone."

After he hung up the phone he went to the bedroom and picked up the only thing that Virgil didn't burn that belonged to him and strummed a few sad cords followed by a sorrowful voice. 

He wished it didn't have to end like this. Tears fell as he clutched the guitar to his shaking body as everything came crashing down all at once. 

He kicked something by his shoe and icked it up. It was one of the science fiction novels John wrote that he finally had published. 

What hurt was how easily he was thrown aside, how little John cared and how stupid he himself was for participating in something he had to be completely drunk to do. He was disgusted in himself for being in love with someone who didn't feel the same back.

The book flew through a window and shattered all the glass.

***

John had never felt so tired and sore in his life between work and forced nightly activities with Virgil. He had given John the bigger of the two spare rooms that had a queen sized bed, something that Alan was quite unhappy about but he had no idea of the sinister intention behind it.

It was nothing like being with Gordon. Virgil was forceful, dominating and he didn't care if he caused him any pain or discomfort. It was nothing but take and only how he wanted it.

John had never felt so used, so violated so disgusting… he felt so unclean that he never would be again regardless much he scrubbed and scratched his skin, making it bleed to hide the bruises.

Only at work did he feel comfortable - his only escape - he dreaded having to return to the apartment knowing Virgil waited for him. 

He said nothing and kept quiet, fearing what would happen to Gordon if he did. He wished for those days back at the shack on the beach waking up besides Gordon, his gentle touch, tender kisses and their long passionate love making. 

How did it come to this? How had he'd fucked up so badly there was no way out?

 

It was a few days since Gordon last spoke to anyone other than their father. Loneliness was starting to get to him, to the point where he made excuses to himself to avoid travelling to the empty shack.

He couldn't walk in the door without his mind messing with him. Everytime he pulled up to the property he swore he saw John standing there in nothing but his oversized shirt and short tight cotton boxers or in some cases, not wearing anything at all expecting Gordon to come home.

Every morning Gordon found himself waking up on the beach with no idea how he ended up there, surrounded by beer cans. The only part he recalled was opening the first one, trying to drown the images of him playfully teasing John and the ones where they just made out and cuddled together.

It was far as Gordon had been concerned, never really about the sex. That was just a bonus. It was all about someone to spend time under the stars with a telescope, someone to serenade with original songs, a person you could lie naked and exposed with and feel each other's beating hearts.

He caved after being unable to take the solitude anymore and rang Virgil's place back in Alice.

What he didn't expect was Alan answering the call.

"Oh hey Gordon! How you been? Listen, you remember when you said I could have sex with John whenever I wanted?"

"Since when did I ever say -"

"Well does that also include Virgil? As they've kinda been going at it alot the last few days and I was wondering if-"

"VIRGIL IS HAVING SEX WITH JOHN TOO!?" Gordon shouted down the phone line. 

"Wait you don't - oh shit I forgot you were out of your mind on Codeine!"

"Huh, what?" Gordon paused in shock. "DID YOU TAKE ADVANTAGE OF ME WHILE I WAS OUT OF MY MIND?"

"Well erm.. wasn't JUST me. John did -"

"You…you both -"

"We thought you were lucid! We had no idea you weren't until you passed out on us!"

"I-I don't believe… no.. actually I CAN." Gordon's voice trembled with furious rage. "Neither of you really gave a SHIT about anything other than sex! You didn't even stop to consider that other people HAD to be either DRUNK or FUCKING DRUGGED to have sex with someone that wasn't even their partner! I… you know what? FUCK YOU ALAN, FUCK JOHN AND FUCK VIRGIL TOO!"

He didn't bother to hang up the phone, instead he took it to the toilet, dropped it in the bowl and collapsed beside it, curling up into a ball sobbing till his chest was sore.

"Who were you talking to Alan?" John asked as Alan was hanging up on the call, he really hoped it wasn't Virgil saying he'd be home early.

"Hmm? Oh just Gordon. Seems when he said you were a free agent to do whoever you wanted was something he didn't actually mean it. We sort of knew that but he didn't, nor did he seem happy that we kinda had sex with him while he was drugged despite him asking for it. Oh, the thing with you and Virgil? Ohh man you should have heard what came out of him when I mentioned it. If you hadn't set out to break his heart involving me in your relationship you certainly have by having it off with Virgil too! I mean I honestly thought it was nothing BUT sex between the two of you, I didn't think it was anything more than that as you never gave that impression."

Alan screwed up his face. "Shame Gordon didn't get THAT memo. You could hear his heart breaking into two on the phone." He pulled at one of his blonde waves. "Mind you him shouting at me saying the only reason he'd have sex with me was because he was shit faced hurt like hell. I mean it's not like I forced him to but I guess he's that infatuated with you he'd do something he didn't want to just to make you happy. Bigger fool him. Shame really, he was such a damn good ride unlike when Virgil got abusive with me when drunk. Virgil may have muscles and be gentle outside the bedroom but he lacks any of that in the bedroom, especially where it counts, if you know what I mean. Overcompensation I swear it."

"What! You told him…" It hit John then what Alan was saying about Gordon he'd never realised it til now. 

Alan seemed to fidgit under John's gaze. "Well no, sure Gordon was drunk - we all were - but you still both still took my experience with you guys into consideration, more than I actually deserved. Hell when you guys both give me head I…. I never had anyone be so playful with me before." He coughed. "When I was on his lap he waited for me, heck he got you to help me relax… with how much the two of you did to look out for me.."

He curled up his knees. "It's my fault." 

Alan started to cry.

"No Alan it's not, I fucked up. Like I said I thought it could never last, I didn’t know that to Gordon it was all so much more… and that it was to me too…" Only in the last few days had John realised it too. "I'm so sorry Alan. What you have gone through with Virgil, that's not how a relationship should be, what Gordon and I had was, what we did have…" He couldn’t stop himself from tearing up. "It doesn't matter now that it's all over."

Alan looked at John and frowned. "You didn't think it would last, so you forced it to be over?" Dark blue eyes pierced into John, making him shiver. "That's low, even for you, John. You're no better than Virgil, using me to force a break up between you guys. At least now what Gordon said when he was doped up makes sense now… he KNEW you were using me."

He fell quiet for a moment before saying, "Gordon never really wanted to do it with me did he? He probably expected you to say no. Why did you let us?"

"I'm not solely responsible, Gordon could have chosen to stop instead of getting so drunk. Also you say your feelings are hurt, from what I just heard and you have said you don't really have consideration of other people's feelings, it was only ever about sex for you."

"Funny.." Alan spoke quieter, more into his knees than to John. "It came across like you were the one who was only in it for sex. The way you spoke to and about Gordon… it never came across as you having any feelings for him at all." 

He seemed to be thinking. "Out of all of you the only person who seemed to care about me at all WAS Gordon, despite me being caught with you and being an arsehole while I was sick… sure he was grouchy but he still stopped my nose bleeding, cleaned up after me, made sure I rested, kept fluids up… hugged me till I fell asleep, none of which I deserved… he told me that he expected you guys falling out because of his new job pulling him away more… I don't think it was because he thought you were replacing him…. Which is exactly what you did, you used me to replace him."

Alan sobbed harder. "You're as bad as fucking Virgil, only difference is you don't use violence."

"You're right, I guess it's good then I'm getting what I deserve, I hope one day you find someone who loves and appreciates you, who isn't family."

"No one deserves this John. We're going to suffer hell."

"We?" John looked confused. 

"That's right." Growled a threatening voice. Both looked in the direction of the door and saw Virgil blocking it. In his hands he held two sets of handcuffs and a camera. "And right now you're going to get 'acquainted' with each other and my camera. Afterwards who knows? You'll probably be too tied up to argue with the other 'art' I have planned with me in control of your bodies."

***

Jeff found Gordon in the WASP cadet training gym pounding his bare fits against a sandbag. He gently placed a hand on his son's shoulder. 

"You skipped out on meeting up for lunch."

Gordon's body sagged. "I know. I just couldn't today."

"Why is that Son?"

"Because the last two weeks have been an absolute shit show, Dad. You don't need to see me pulling myself apart."

"It's hard not to have noticed the change in your demeanour of late. This latest test bugging you?"

"Sort of, amongst other things that aren't adding up."

"Such as?" Jeff raised an eyebrow.

"Virgil for one and some stuff Alan had said." Gordon waved it off. "It's not that important."

"It must be if it bothers you."

"Well of course, they're my brothers. Everything they do worries or affects me without it meaning to."

Jeff patted him on the shoulder. "That's families in general for you kid."

Gordon sighed. "They're probably not as complicated as ours."

Jeff let out an amused grunt. "You sound just like your mother. I assure you there are people out there with lives far more complex than ours."

The red head just stared at him blankly. "I assure you Dad, they'd have to be living the life of a Chilean soap opera to be crazier than us lot."

"Is there something you're not telling me Gordon that I should be concerned about?" Jeff put his arm around his shortest son's shoulders.

"If concerns extend to most of us remaining single? Then yeah, you probably should be."

"As long as only one of you gives me grandkids I don't think I should be." Jeff joked.

"I can be upfront and honest with you on that front, it won't be me unless via adoption. Pretty certain some stuff I've been exposed to while working here might just make achieving anything along those lines highly improbable."

"Really?"

"Unfortunately. I got this position because of that fact. They even tell you if you intend to have kids to not take it just in case. Something to do with the particular radiation exposure you can be at risk of after an accident they had a few years ago."

"And this didn't deter you?" Jeff asked, curious.

Gordon snorted. "Physicals don't lie. And while they're still invasive compared to the shit they made us do for drug testing when I used to compete they aren't as terrifying." Gordon shivverd and Jeff held him tighter as he remembered what those drug tests for athletes were like since he had to be present for many of them as Gordon was under age… even he felt by now they would have a better way to do it.

"Anyway, it turns out I have a non-existent sperm count so… it fully rules me out on the 'giving you grandkids' thing." Gordon snorted. He didn't mention the fact he was gay or that he was in love with one of his brothers as frankly that would be going too far but even if he was straight as a plank of wood he still wouldn't be able to have kids.

"They can fix that these days can't they?"

"Probably best they don't. Who'd want another one of me?"

Jeff ruffled his hair. "I'm not sure but I think after having FIVE of you boys, I'd say you just answered your own question."

Gordon chuckled. "Yeah, you're right Dad. Silly me."

 

Virgil was not impressed when Scott showed up at the apartment. "I thought I told you to check on Gordon." He hissed. "After everything that sick little monkey has done, he needs serious straightening out."

"I'll check on him in a few days." Scott waved it off as he entered. "Dad's more or less got him covered."

Virgil blinked. " You went straight to Dad about it? Holy crap Scott, Dad will disown him! I just wanted to put some fear into him and get him to think straight once in his damn life!"

"You're being over dramatic." Scott folded his arms. "If anything I think you're jealous that he had everyone wanting to live there instead of here."

"I was not jealous-" Virgil started to protest. With Scott around he couldn't do what he wanted with his brothers. 

"Hold that thought." Scott interrupted, answering his holophone and walking away to talk in private. Hearing his voice, Alan and John had emerged from their rooms hoping for the first time in a week that they would be safe.

Scott stood holding the phone, frozen to the spot. "Are you sure?" He said, voice trembling in shock.

"If Gordon has killed himself then I don't think he deserves our -" Virgil started to say before Scott shot him a glare to shut up.

"Hold on a second, I think we all need to hear this." Scott spoke quietly, walking over to the phone dock and placing the receiver into it as he did so a holographic protection of their father came up out of the dock. Behind Jeff was a large crane and dozens of people trying to pull several wrecked boats apart. Jeff kept turning to look at it with a very worried expression on his face.

"They've pulled four of the five test pilots out so far. One is dead, the other three taken into ICU. The last one is still sandwiched under the wreckage."

John caught a glimpse of the WASP insignia on the uniforms of the people in the background and immediately moved in closer, a look of sheer dread spreading across his features. Alan had also moved, panic rising within his throat. They both glanced at each other and exchanged a silent prayer.

"That's horrible." Virgil felt guilty for assuming the call was his brother being an idiot. He felt ashamed he jumped to a conclusion so rapidly.

"I just hope he's alive. Those other boats went out of control and he was the one who was caught in the middle -'' Jeff stopped as someone called to him and he was off, the hologram jumping around all over the place as Jeff ran with the device clenched in his hand over to the wreckage. As he got closer the boys could see that if anyone was to survive something this horrific it would be a miracle, especially being squashed alive.

As the picture jumped around, all four boys reeled back in horror as glimpses of what was happening had revealed that the last test pilot had been found still breathing and needed to be cut free.

None of them will ever forget what they saw before Jeff shoved the holophone into his pocket and John in particular would never forget the terror in their father's voice calling Gordon's name.

Their brother had been the missing pilot.

***

Jeff told the boys they were only to visit at their own risk. Gordon was in critical care and had been taken in for multiple surgeries, mostly to remove shrapnel from his body or to have various things reconstructed, metal rods were put in to replace shattered bones in his left calf and right thigh, his right hip also needing a full replacement. He had three shattered ribs removed, a smaller rod to hold his collarbone in place and his face…

Jeff had been told Gordon would never look the same again. The one son that resembled most of the features of their mother had required a metal plate in his jaw and complete reconstruction of his smashed cheekbones and nose recentering as whatever had connected with his head had done serious amounts of damage.

The hospital wouldn't have gone through all that effort if they weren't sure he'd survive. The fact he kept waking up from anaesthetic and causing problems for the various surgical staff was what gave them assurance that he wasn't left brain dead or going to be on a long term coma on life-support.

Even now, sitting beside him as his only visitor that was allowed in the room, Jeff could feel Gordon's hand squeeze his everytime a wave of pain came over him before more painkillers were dripped into his system.

"Keep fighting, Son." He said, squeezing his hand back. 

Jeff looked up and saw Scott, with John and Alan in tow, peering through the glass window. He got up to greet them and give them some time to go in and sit with their brother. Alan jumped immediately at the offer and went to sit in first.

Jeff looked at both Scott and John and frowned. "Virgil not with you?"

Scott shook his head. "He couldn't get away from work." It was an obvious lie but there was no way Scott was going to mention he gave Virgil a black eye after insisting this was all an elaborate suicide attempt on Gordon's behalf. The redhead was a mess for sure but he wouldn't dare give up on himself. They'd all worked hard to get where they were, determined to be like their father and earn their right to their own fortunes. He had to put himself through a lot of crap to become an Olympic swimmer so if he was going to crack it would have been back then.

Jeff nodded. "Well after the carnage that I witnessed, I realised that the equipment to not only rescue them was inadequate but the prevention measures were too. Two more of those pilots didn't make it. That's three preventable deaths, and here's us hoping like hell we don't have a fourth."

He looked back through the glass and watched Alan pick up his brother's hand and hold it to his chest, smiling when he felt Gordon respond by clinging to his plaid shirt.

"I've been thinking that there may be something I can do to help those who have to deal with catastrophes like this. We have the money and the company that has access to the technologies required." Jeff scratched his chin. "I won't be able to do it alone. I need help with the logistics, the manpower and above all people who can keep it a secret… maybe a new location to operate from too."

"First things first. If your brother gets through this he's going to have a few years of Rehabilitation on the cards. We could speed that up or at least make it bearable by building our own facilities for that. What if - hear me out first boys," Jeff said quickly as Scott started to open his mouth to comment. "We build a new home on an isolated island somewhere… and dig down to build everything we need to not only be self-sufficient but to run our own rescue operations, complete with medical facilities. We'd be able to help those who are in situations where help is too far away or requires extra assistance. What do you think?"

John's head was whirling, Gordon's accident had been a huge shock and they had no idea if he would even survive, now their father was suddenly talking about this idea he had, of them all living on an island.

The thought of Alan, Gordon and himself trapped on an island with Virgil was terrifying. Scott and their father would be there but, there would come times they would be alone then what?

There were also their jobs to consider and Alan had just begun his internship.

"One thing at a time dad." His tiredness and worry creeped into his voice.

Jeff smiled wearily. "If I don't jump the gun someone else will, Son. Actually I will need some expertise from some old friends of mine, I'm sure I could ask a few favours… get your jobs sorted where you won't have too many problems."

"Of course, we also need someone to help your brother with rehabilitation when the time comes too. Would Virgil be up for that?"

Alan had stepped out of the room just in time before Scott answered. "I'll do it." The dull look in his sapphire blue eyes seemed to have perked up overhearing the conversation, clearly realising that it would be another chance to escape and maybe make it up to Gordon. If whatever Dad was asking his older brothers, it clearly didn't involve anything that he could be useful in otherwise he would have said something before he went in to sit with their sibling.

There was only one person who could contest him volunteering and he hoped that they wouldn't. 

John became aware everyone was looking at him, Alan's enthusiasm brought those feelings of jealousy to the surface. Alan spending time with Gordon - the thought of them becoming closer in that way were real fears of his. Alan could likely see it on his face as he started to look worried, he tried to think rationally that it was just Alan genuinely wanting to help, there was another reason as well he really had to let these feelings go it was over between him and Gordon.

"Sure if you ever need any kind of help I'll be happy to."

"He's determined to hang on isn't he?" Alan allowed a small smile to show. I wouldn’t have believed it if you'd just told me." He adjusted his shirt thoughtfully and seemed to pause a few seconds as if his mind was trying to convince himself his brother had indeed grabbed and held it tightly despite how bad a condition he looked. "You're not going to leave him there alone are you Dad?" You're definitely going to stay here?"

"As long as they physically let me, Son." Jeff replied, giving him a hug to assure him.

Scott looked at John and indicated he was to go in next with a subtle head tilt, the eldest aware that if he went in last at least their Dad would take Alan and John for a coffee and talk space stuff while he sat there balling his eyes out where they couldn't see it. He was only barely staying strong for their sake.

John didn’t really hear a word Alan or his father was saying though he didn't need the subtle 'push' from Scott either. As he entered the small room he couldn't help feeling apprehensive.

Up close John could see just how much more horrific Gordon's injuries were, he choked back a sob as he stood by the bed taking one of Gordon's hands in his, stroking his hair with the other.

"Hey Gordon" He felt him grasp his hand tightly. "I know I'm likely the last person you would want to see right now, I completely understand I've been extremely selfish and I don't think I can ever make up for any of it, but I'd like to make amends with you and Alan if only as brothers." He watched Gordon for a few moments for any kind of response. "But most of all I just want you to get better." He kissed the back of Gordon's hand in his, as tears finally spilt over.

The hand in his gave him a tight squeeze, one that indicated it didn't want John to leave. As he felt John's hand slip away the hand grabbed for anything it could - shirt, pants - Gordon might have looked a mess and was unable to move anything other than his arm but damn he was determined to get John to stay.

As John went to leave he felt something grab his shirt he looked down to see Gordon hand grasping it tightly.

"Wait, are you awake?" Gordon pulled on his shirt. "You want me to stay?" He pulled his shirt again, John smiled and sat back down, bringing Gordon's hand to the side of his face. "Okay I'll stay." He swore he saw Gordon smile despite the awful pain he must be in. A machine behind his chair made a sound, clear fluid from the device was sent along tubes into his chest, making his brother heave heavily and the fingers against his cheek shudder and flex.

Later on, Jeff took Alan and John down to the hospitality cafe for a coffee and bite to eat to discuss things about his project that might be of extreme interest to the boys that followed in his footsteps.

John seemed to be mentally absent and disinterested in the coffee he was offered. While Alan was off ordering some food, Jeff asked, "You alright, John? Living with Virgil going ok?"

John was more thrown by the question than he should have been, he hoped it didn't show. "It's fine, it's a bit of a pain, the commute to work is longer."

"I see. Gordon seemed pretty down that you both left."

"Yeah, I know." John replied. He felt guilty even if he didn't really have the choice of Alan and him living with Virgil, sure as hell he wouldn't be if did. "We'll have the chance to make it up to him I hope."

"Don't worry, I plan on talking to Virgil. Calling the place uninhabitable… after he knew I had to raise you boys at your Grandma's farm half the time when I couldn't get living space big enough on base. That boy will get a good ding along the ear." Jeff seemed to snort. "He forgets we didn't always used to be so loaded."

Jeff folded his hands together and rested his chin on his propped up elbows as Alan joined them at the table. "The hardest part of this idea I have involves building two space fairing craft. Now, you know that I have many people internally at NASA who owe me large favours and who would gladly throw themselves at any project I fund there. However, I'd rather that the two sons of mine with different experience in rocket building and space station construction were in charge of those."

"Sure I wouldn’t call myself an expert, have you drafted any plans yet?" John looked to Alan if he wanted to input anything.

Jeff smiled. "Matter of fact I have. I've had a bit of time to think, watching over your brother." He sat back and took a deep draw of his coffee. "That and you'll be working with some of the best mentors in the scientific community. Think of it as a once in a lifetime opportunity.

John smiled, it was the first time he had genuinely in a long time. "Have you decided on a name for this project?"

"I'm not entirely sure yet. I have plenty of time to think of one."

"I'm sure John will get more benefit out of it than me." Alan said, staring at the sandwich he bought and poking it. "Sure I got a degree in rocket science but I'm thinking of doing something else entirely of that ok Dad." 

Jeff's smile grew wider. "Well, that's fine by me Alan. You follow whatever your heart tells you just as I expect your brothers to."

"I'll still help with Gordon's rehabilitation, it's not like I haven't gone through that all before."

Jeff sighed. "I don't need to be reminded of the fact you almost blew off your own arm in your first college science class, Son."

Alan winced. "I don't know how many more times I can say sorry for that, Dad." He turned to John. "You don't mind? I'm honestly only interested in being an astronaut as seeing the rest while working with you was a wake up call that maybe it's not really for me… the science side "

"Really? Well if that's what you want, I wouldn’t mind some of your input." John couldn't fault Alan, he completely understood the lack of appeal.

Alan shrugged. “If you want, However; the only thing I can really assist with is the engines and their fuel.”

Jeff clapped his hands together. “That’s settled then. I’ll make all the arrangements for you boys. I promise you won’t regret it.”

***

Construction on the new Island house was quicker than expected. Jeff's reputation for being the first man to set foot on Mars gave him some incredible leverage in getting the right people who were more than happy to be told what to do and ask as few questions about it as possible. Scott kept watch over a majority of the underground and machinery construction while John liaising with various NASA engineers that Jeff put him in touch with had begun some interesting construction of their own. They didn't ask questions either, especially when Jeff was very forthcoming with donating large sums of money in terms or research grants and whatever he was having being built was clearly something along the lines of the funding he was sinking into the space program.

The mid century home was completed in two months on an isolated island off the coast of Australia. It was originally the site of an extinct volcano and Jeff only secured the location after negotiations and money being waved around to various scientific organisations who didn't want him there unless they could get some sort of research out of it in return. Jeff was more than accommodating which, while annoying many of the researchers, had indeed made them leave him alone to build his island paradise.

It's not as if Jeff Tracy was unique in this sense, billionaires had after all had eccentric habits and while self isolation and self sufficiency was the end goal of his project, it wasn't as if he was building a mansion with hundreds of bathrooms that no one would use.

In fact the home was quite modest. Based on middle century architecture of the sixties, the home despite all appearances was decidedly average looking, at least from the outside. It was two stories and built with having his sons living at home with room to expand if they ever decide to have families of their own someday if they wanted to stay on. There was even a retro futuristic guest house built along with some of the most beautiful landscaping and pool area. Inside there was everything you would typically find in a retro styled house of the future - an atomic age styled kitchen with modern conveniences, a living room & office area, three entertaining areas - a pool room, shooting gallery and an indoor barroom. There was A modest library and combined study and on the lower floor were all the bedrooms with adjoining ensuites, all of which were decked out with various things that would interest his sons, all designed how they specifically requested. 

Virgil's doubled as an art and photo studio, Alan's was full of racing car memorabilia which also joined a small garage, Scott's had a home gym to one side with a full boxing set up and weight training machines, John's was set up for a writer and astronomer and his room lead out to the outside decking where he could put out a telescope with an unobstructed view of the night sky and Gordon's…. Well once he was able to talk he joked about starting up some aquariums and some gardening to give him some hobbies so Jeff had integrated fish tanks into walls of the design and areas for wall gardens ( however within the first month of Gordon finally living there the plants had seemed to expand from there and around the house, a majority sneaking into John's room though Jeff didn't seem phased by this afterall it meant he had someone who in their spare time could spend it in the hydroponics room that he had also set up under the house - growing most of your own food is essential for self sustainability.)

But that was where normality ended. After that everything was dug out and downwards deeper into the volcanic rock. There was a hydroponics laboratory to grow most of the vegetables and fruit they would consume bringing food bills down considerably, the medical and rehabilitation facilities he insisted on having, a underground plane hanger that's entrance was carved out of the rock and hidden by the same stone, a underground research facility, under the pool area was home to a newly constructed rocket that broke the sound barrier, a silo for a spaceship located beneath the round guest house and of course something else that was being built out of sight, outside the earth's atmosphere - a spacious space station.

Sure, some of this construction took much longer than three months - some of it up to two years - but once the basics were essentially finished for liveability within the three so the first few to occupy it for that time were Scott, Gordon, Alan and of course, himself. John was currently overseeing the construction of the space station and was occupied in Florida while the engineering factory Virgil was at in Alice Springs were supplying the parts for all of Jeff's unusual requests.

Jeff was quite impressed with how Gordon's recovery had gone. When arriving at the new house he could barely get around on crutches but after a few weeks he was getting around for short periods just fine without them. Despite having Alan's help with rehabilitation and the occasional gym strength session with Scott, Jeff was a little concerned when it was clear he spent a lot of time to himself but it didn't take that long for those concerns to bubble over.

Wandering past his son's bedroom door he could see him hard at work setting up the largest wall tank that was almost floor to ceiling, entering and helping him down the step ladder.

"Thanks Dad. I'm still too short to reach there without getting stuck."

"Build it too high?" 

"Well it wouldn't have been a problem if I could get behind it on a higher stair or something but it's alright. Once it's fully set up I won't need to worry too much."

"Well I can get that fixed, no problem. What's the plan for this tank?" Jeff asked curiously. From the other elaborate set ups in the room he could see a brackish river tank complete with top self watering garden, several micro tanks and one medium sized saltwater tank that was built into the other wall and had maintenance access via one side of the wardrobe beside it.

"Unsure yet. Was hoping setting it up would take my mind off things. I can't go back to work, heck there's few jobs I can do around here without having to lie flat foe hours afterwards… I miss being useful Dad."

Jeff was aware this probably wasn't the only thing that was bother his son but it was still a pretty big worry nevertheless. The other had to do with his self-esteem, all those facial reconstructions had made it take a nose dive to the point where Gordon covered the mirror in the adjoining ensuite and had tsken down and hidden every picture of himself in the bottom of his draws.

The feminine pretty-boy was gone and left with something that made him look older than Scott, scars and all.

"I know Son. I'm sure I can help you get back on your feet with that too."

"Really? As right now I kinda feel like parts of Alan and Scott have given me up for dead and I don't blame them. I come out of the hospital looking and moving around like a total stranger to them, heck it might be why Virgil and John won't even speak to me when I call them." Gordon had some suspicion as to why, Virgil would probably be disappointed he was still walking around and as for John?

Just remembering what they had both said to each other, about not being together anymore was like his heart had been violently pulled from his chest and stomped on until it was handed back to him mangled and barely functioning.

Jeff saw the tears fall and wrapped his arms around his son. Until now Gordon had been keeping everything fairly together but now the twenty year old had an uncertain future ahead of him and it was going to hit hard.

***

It has taken two years to complete his grand vision and as Jeff laid a uniform down on each of his son's beds, he smiled knowing that as of tomorrow they were going to be fully operational as a secret rescue organisation. Tonight, Alan would be taking John up to the space station for his first shift in the first ever flight of one of their grand machines, his heart excitedly in his throat in a way it hadn't been since he flew to Mars. Jeff hoped his sons were safe on their journey to come.

Scott had been tasked with picking up and flying in their Grandmother to live with them while Virgil was tasked with bringing and old friend of Jeff's who had fallen on hard times and was seeking employment and a place to stay leaving the house reasonably quiet as their other 'live in guest' was busy tinkering with more inventions.

He had one more room to put a uniform in and it was one one that always left him speechless every time he set foot in it. It was like walking into a miniature jungle, Gordon sinking two years of recovery into it. 

Gordon was sitting at the desk that was overrun with aquarium plants, thoroughly inspecting them before transplanting them into one of the large tanks. Part of the reason he was hired by WASP in the first place was for his studies into aquatic flora and while he didn’t get to do a lot along those lines while there, that interest in it he had never really died. It just went dormant for a while.

Jeff lay the last uniform on the bed before waking over and resting a hand on his son’s shoulder.

“Didn’t want to say goodbye to your brothers?”

“I don’t think they would care.” Gordon replied, hands carefully picking through the plants with tweezers, making sure no pests were hiding on the foliage. “I welcomed them when they all arrived but the only one who said anything to me was Alan… and only because he couldn’t remember where the bathroom was. They barely even acted as if I was there, Dad. After an hour I just stepped out as I couldn't pretend to be invisible anymore."

He sat back in his chair and rubbed his eyes. "It's ok though Dad. I'll just stay in here and potter around downstairs out of the way when whatever it is they're all doing for you is going on."

"Now hold on there just one gosh darn minute, Boy." Jeff spun his son's chair around. "Do you honestly think I'd let you turn yourself into a hermit?"

"No, guess not." Gordon sighed but gave him a smile. "So I guess you'd need me to move out then?"

Jeff chuckled. "Well I wouldn't want you to leave this all behind. After what you did to the hydroponics bay helped me design something similar for another project I had going with NASA, I'd say you've done more than just sitting around doing nothing with yourself." He mentally added to himself to give John a call once he was settled up in orbit and ask him about the hydroponics set up on the station. While there was no fish up there, Jeff had instructed it to be set up the same way Gordon had shown and explained to him with the one under the house. It was like every science fiction fan's vision of an enclosed bio-dome one that Jeff and his fellow Mars explorers would have appreciated back in the day and half expected NASA to pinch the ideas for future space colonies.

Gordon felt a pang of pride. "Well I didn't have much else to do in the way of hobbies. They're not that difficult to maintain either now they're mostly finished. My palms are itching for something else to do." Which was true. He could no longer indulge in his other hobbies and was weary of doing so now lest his father found out about them. Some habits die hard though and a small collection of stuffed sea animals had slowly started to amass, even if they were mostly 'get well' presents.

"Come. I've got something to show you." 

Gordon gave the old man a strange look before curiosity got the better of him. 

Jeff led Gordon upstairs and into the den to the fish tank behind the bar. "Make sure you're standing on this mat, Son. This is going to be a wild ride."

Gordon did what he was told as Jeff reached for a leaver under the tank. There was a click and around the mat a railing came up before the entire floor around the mat shifted and moved downwards like a lift. As Gordon regained his balance he asked, "What is this all for, Dad? It's like you've been designing the house to be the lair of a James Bond villain."

“I’m surprised you haven’t asked me any questions about what your brothers and myself have been doing with all our time.” Jeff mused.

“The accident did curb a lot of my curiosity.”

“The drugs you were on too possibly played a part in that too.” Gordon gasped and Jeff waved it off. “Scott’s relieved you no longer have to take them by the way though I fear the damage may have already been done. It's not your fault it took us six months to figure out something was wrong and several more to see any improvement in your recovery without them."

Gordon hung his head. "I didn't know those things could change your behavior."

"Neither did we. Luckily only Scott and myself saw any of it. I can't imagine anyone else going through it. Ah, here we are!" Jeff grinned as the lift stopped inside a strange underground cavern that seemed to only be half finished. He stepped off the left and walked across the aluminum flooring and stood by some strange chain link railing. "Come and have a look son." 

Gordon took a deep breath to overcome his hesitation before joining Jeff by the rail. Sitting just out of the water on a sort of metal ramp sat a bright yellow machine. Gordon frowned, ducking under the rail and walking up close to inspect it. His fingers touched the hull and he rapped his knuckles on it and could hear how dense the steel was by the reverberation of sound. The back end was round with two large jets, the sides bubbled out with what looked like mini rescue ejection pods and the front end was boatlike with a large flood light attached to it with long arms. 

He hauled himself up onto the front much to Jeff's astonishment and found the top emergency entrance hatch and as he carefully felt his way around he was able to get a look at the hydro dynamic fin that rested on the top, completed with inbuilt rudder.

"It's a submarine." He breathed out, fairly impressed. "But how, why, when?"

Jeff breathed a sigh of relief when Gordon chambered back down. "I had your brothers start making other crafts for me for a grand project idea while you were in the hospital. At the time you were in such a bad way I vowed to do something to prevent or at least help those who would normally end up in hospital like yourself and those other unfortunate pilots. I never considered that you would want to be a part of it, however when you told me that you no longer felt useful and left alone I guess I couldn’t have let you have that fate.”

He touched the craft lovingly. “Unlike the others I got your brothers to help build, I made this one entirely by my own hand with a little of Brain’s help. I had you in mind when constructing her, afterall I didn’t want you feeling left out. Actually, there’s two to be more precise, one for going out on your own and the other for being transported around to further off locations.”

“When you say ‘Had me in mind’, what exactly do you mean?”

Jeff’s smile widened. “I’d like you to pilot it.”

***“Woah, this station is MASSIVE even on the INSIDE.” Alan gawked in wonder as he dropped a large supply box down in the living quarters. “Look! Dad’s thought of EVERYTHING in here!”

He walked over to the kitchenette counter and looked out at the void of space, mouth agape and impressed. "Wow…. You could probably discover new planets and galaxies up here!" He spun in his heel and took in the large scope of the living space, the curved green couch that went around a huge holotable and a large screen on the wall which currently projected a large rainforest on itself. 

"You're never going to want to touch down home again after living here! It's incredible!"

He grabbed John by the hand. "Can I explore before I have to go back? Please?"

John wasn't going to correct Alan that when it came to the design of the station that it had all mostly been him, something he had dedicated the majority of the past two years of his life to but watching Alan marvel over it, it really didn't matter.

"Of course and your one of the first to step foot on the station since its construction, I think its only right you get first choice in cabin is yours."

"Oh no I couldn't…can I really? Wow thank you!" Alan gave John the most awkward of hugs. "I feel sort of guilty I didn't help alot and that I didn't help Gordon out much either." 

He paused as he seemed to be thinking. "You know I didn't see him when we were all at the house though Dad seems to be inviting a lot of people he knows to live with us that I've never met. I mean I even asked one where the bathroom was and after I came back into the room they'd seem to have gone. Maybe it was one of Gordon's friends? I didn’t think he had any but two years can change a person."

He wandered around poking his head in and out of cabin doors. "So, what was it like working with all those big-wig scientists that Dad's always on about? Did you learn anything interesting?"

"It really was something when dad said I'd get to work with some of the most brilliant people in the field he wasn't joking, I've never really thought about just how privileged we really are, I'll treasure the experience for the rest of my life and all the things I learnt from them."

"You're so lucky. Any of them have kids? Any of them real lookers?" Alan joked. "Seriously though, did you meet anyone… you know over there?"

John laughed. "Ahh no, no" He became very serious now. "I've realised I was a real dick and that I treated people like shit who didn't deserve it. I'm not sure I can ever make up for that, plus I've been afraid if Virgil ever caught wind."

There were other reasons the abuse he had suffered by Virgil being one and that he had, had a lot of time to work out his feelings, something he felt he had come to realise far too late.

"Anyway, what about you?" He asked, changing the conversation from being about him.

Alan looked slightly crestfallen. "Sorry, I didn't mean…" he winced then said, "Dad's letting a friend of mine come and stay with us. I didn't realise her father and Dad were old friends but it has made asking a great deal easier. You should get to meet her, she's really lovely."

He nodded. "Sure I'd like that, good for you Alan."

Alan beamed. "I dunno if we'll ever be more than just friends but that's good enough for me." He led the way into a room marked 'hydroponics' and laughed. "Dad insisting you smoke weed or become a vegetarian living up here huh?"

"I hid seeds in my bag" John joked, winking. "But no ever since I got… never mind, I can't eat meat anymore."

Alan looked at his brother confused. "Did you get bitten by a tick? You got lyme disease!"

"It was something like that" John would rather save Alan the true details then make him feel guilty about it. "It's fine, it just taught me that I have to look after my health in the future is all."

"Fair enough… wow this is pretty impressive! There's even a water feature in here! Love how it doesn't look like what you'd typically think of for a hyrdoponics set up. You clearly got some serious landscaping skills!"

"Actually I had nothing to do with this part it's all based off Gordon's design."

Alan was taken aback. "What?! Since when is Gordon into landscape gardening? Shit those drugs Scott said he was taking must have really messed with his head! I mean this is SUPER COOL it's like walking around the biodome on the USS Enterprise but damn that accident clearly scrambled him good and proper!"

He stared at the water fountain longer than what was probably normal, at least by John's knowledge as Alan's attention span was incredibly short and seemed to be getting much shorter as time went on. "Did any of us besides Scott ever talk to him afterwards? I know I certainly didn't. Second he was out he told Dad I didn't have to hang around so I was off…. And I kinda got into rally driving in Europe and forgot about him and all of this." He waves his hands around.

"I guess it doesn't matter. It's not exactly like he stopped Virgil taking us away. He deserves whatever isolated loneliness he gets. I tried warning him too but I guess we were too sick for him to handle, or the fact you dumped his arse for mine which if that's the case then that's pretty crap of him. I guess I'm glad we're still talking after… you know."

"To be fair Alan, Virgil didn't give either of us much of a choice. I never knew he had such a violent streak about him…" John stared at nothing in particular for a few moments, the only sound was of the water flowing from the fountain. "I love him, I didn't realise it way back then…" He sighs heavily, like the weight of things is catching up to him. "But I was such an idiot I messed things up so badly between us and I think it's too late now to do anything about it…"

"Wait, you loved Virgil?" Alan looked confused. "After what he did to us?"

John just raised an eyebrow at what Alan said, and looked at him unimpressed.

Alan scuffed his feet. "I guess it makes sense, Stockholm syndrome or something isn't it?"

"Alan," He puts a hand on his shoulder. "I love you but I seriously worry about you sometimes."

Alan went red. "Then who?" He pouted. "It can't be Gordon 'cause frankly he's such a recluse I don't think he'd want anyone to - oh." He screwed up his face. "But why? There's nothing there to like except well what he was packing and let's be honest, that's the only thing he's probably got going for him these days. You should have seen him the day he was brought home, the scars… his attitude was horrendous too like out of ALL the people on this planet… WHY?"

John shrugged his shoulders. "Because I do, all that doesn’t matter, he is still the same Gordon to me and I love him no matter what, even if he never forgives me I still will."

Alan sighed. "Well good luck with that. I wouldn’t blame him if he never spoke to us outside of Dad's rescue organisation."

"Anyway, I guess I better be going back. Scott will be bringing Grandma soon and you know what she's like."

John laughs. " I sure do, thanks Alan I'll see you soon."

***

Exhaustion was taking its toll. Gordon was finding rescues more physically taxing than his unpredictable work as WASP as well as emotionally draining. Sure, less people were dying from accidents but when it did happen it was still very grizzly. Even with Alan's friend coming to stay with them he was finding it difficult to stay social despite so many people in the house.

Interactions were becoming fewer, especially after assisting London airport with the mysterious Fire Flash plane failures. Gordon had been shot at and in order to keep the plane in the air to return to the airport he held the electrical wiring for the engines together with his bare hands, burning them badly. He was lucky it didn't kill him and being in the same room as his brothers all joking about it when Grandma announced she had problems with the oven, Gordon realised how little his brothers cared about his safety. What hurt the most was this was the first time he and John had been in the same room together since he was supposed to be living there and having him laugh along with Scott and thier father to Virgil comments stung like hell.

Never mind that Tintin and her father found him in the hydroponics bay hours later with heart palpitations that needed serious examination, Gordon had to beg for them to not tell anyone he almost had a heart attack.

In a way he never really let go of the idea that John and he could get back together despite everything around him pointing out this was such a foolish notion. Though it had looked as if whatever Alan said had been going on between John and Virgil had run its course as they did seem to keep a wide berth from each other. Probably the fact John didn’t really love any of them for anything more than sex was what ended it? Who the hell knew.

Yet he still couldn't let go of what was weighing down in his heart.

Luckily, after this last rescue the teasing from his other brother's had stopped. Though the fact they were in the studio audience for the man and the cameraman he had saved didn't seem to bother him much. He was just happy they were safe, Virgil was on the mend after being shot down and that he was finally left alone on a night where John was due to come off a shift change.

Maybe they could have a conversation outside of emergencies? They hadn't exchanged that many words with one another in two years other than the bare minimum that seemed to be necessary before they both tried seeking ways to avoid being around everyone else. The few times they spoke around others…. Gordon felt like he didn't belong in the same room as his sibling.

Or, it was entirely possible that John would avoid him completely. It could go either way, considering he didn't look the same as before.

He rested his back against one of the hydroponic apple trees with his guitar and gave the cavernous room a glance around. You wouldn't think it was possible to grow all of this extensive looking garden under the house without a very ridged strict set up but somehow Gordon managed to replicate natural conditions you'd find inside a botanical greenhouse. Getting the right lights was a pain as well as convincing Dad's engineer friend to let him also build a underground artificial flowing river to run through it where the plants were able to take water from directly as well as house several dozen koi fish that were kept happy on table scraps that Kyrano brought down at the end of the day.

It was beautiful and above all else, quiet since barely anyone other than himself, Kyrano and his daughter Tintin - Alan's friend - needed to ever go in there. It also boasted some magnificent acoustics.

It also was somewhere away from Virgil and his constant piano playing which after several months had started to drive him bonkers.

It wasn't that he didn’t like the music, it was all to do with the complete three - sixty in how Virgil would change his behaviour towards him when they were alone. So far it was all talk but he didn't need to be pinned uncomfortably between him and a wall to have him gloat about how 'unattractive' he was now and that maybe he should consider plastic surgery to go all in on the 'luke skywalker look alike style' he seemed to be failing on going for though at least he no longer looked like a girl.

If Gordon could have it his way, he'd rather look like he used to than what he did now…. Or at least take the plunge to be someone else. He hated that he had to give up who he was because others thought he should be something else. He wondered if the others felt the same?

Maybe it was better that he and John didn’t talk. Afterall John had become very handsome during their time apart and probably was fending other guys off with a stick for the past two years. He was probably the last person he'd want to see when he touched down soon, the ugly sad excuse that he was.

A melancholy tune filled the hydroponics bay as Gordon lazyly strummed his guitar. Thoughts of how everyone has changed influenced every note and how alone he felt dictated the melody.

He was conflicted. He wanted so badly to reconnect with John but felt he didn't deserve to. Glancing at his watch he made a rough guess that John would be home now. Home alone, with only him in the main house….

Gordon's heart started dancing.

John looked at his watch again, his finger hovering over the send option, again he picked up another cigarette, lit it and took a long drag.

"You're overthinking this, be casual, don't make such a big deal about it, it's not."

He told himself again, he'd gotten home a bit earlier and decided to do something nice and cook for Gordon, now he questioned if it would be taken the wrong way or Gordon would even talk to him or just avoid him.

That wouldn’t surprise him, he hadn't really spoken to him for the last two years, Virgil's threat still hung over him but he should have tried harder to reach out.

It had almost been an hour now and the food was getting cold. Finally he pressed the send option and instantly wished he hadn't, not sure of what was worse, an answer or not one at all.

Gordon had been sitting in the quiet after giving up on playing music that was going nowhere but depression-villev and was startled when his watch started beeping.

Someone had messaged him.

"Dinner?" Gordon read aloud. He sent another back, 'Not fish is it?'

John smiled when he saw Gordon answer he promptly messaged back it wasn't, and waited telling himself again this wasn't a big deal, but still picked up another cigarette.

'I'll be there.'

Gordon made John wait an hour before making an appearance in the kitchen, partly because he was scared and mostly because he had Virgil's words calling him a 'filthy animal' were lurking in his mind making him paranoid enough to scrub himself raw in the shower, terrified that no matter what he looked like he was always going to look like a network of burns and scars. It prompted a raid of Tintin's guest room for any makeup he could find to mask some of the ones he knew wouldn't normally show up on a hologram but would definitely make John stay on the other side of the room to him if he left them be.

Standing in the doorway, heart pounding in his ears as if it was crawling up to get out and vomit itself up on the floor. He couldn't stop staring - John looked as handome as he did the day he arrived for a few short hours. Dressed in Ralf Lauren he made Gordon weak at the knees. Tall, slender, drop dead fucking gorgeous - that's what two years away did for John.

He felt like a deer in a trucks headlights.

He had been starting to think Gordon was not coming. Should he be surprised? Of course not, he'd decided not to let the lasagne go to waste, as he retrieved it from the oven after reheating it, he just dropped when he turned around. "Gordon!" He got it safely to counter. "Wow you just about gave me a heart attack." So much for casual, he thought silently cursing himself.

"Hey John." Gordon stammered. "How's s-space?"

"It's ahh cool, quiet and ahh… are you hungry? He asked as he started cutting the lasagne without waiting for an answer, though he didn't think he could eat any, as he felt like he was going to throw up with how nervous he was feeling.

Gordon still stood in the doorway, as if he was about to make a hurried exit. "You… you never answered or returned my calls."

He put the knife down, his hands were shaking too badly and he was afraid he would cut himself. "Yeah…" He ran a hand through his hair. "I was too scared to talk to you… after everything and Alan told me what he said, I was sure you were going to chew me out." It was a lame excuse but he didn't have the courage to tell him the real reason, he really hoped he wasn't going to push for it.

"Oh." Gordon looked crestfallen. "Guess I deserved it for being a jerk. It's ok, I'll just let you have your space." He spun on his heel to make for his escape. This was a terrible idea, why'd he honestly think John would be honest with him now? He moved on long before the accident hadn't he? Virgil was right, he was nothing more than a sad little footnote.

"What!" John yelled after him, as he made for the door. "No, that's not what I meant! If anything I've been a jerk, it's me! I honestly thought you would never want to speak to me again." He was quiet for a moment. "I'd have completely understood if you hadn't wanted to ever again."

"If I never wanted to, then why would I try to call?" Gordon sighed heavily. "Only stopped when it sank in and you didn't want to speak to me. Gawd this is so stupid why are we so dumb?" Gordon slowly turned back around to face John and looked embarrassed. "Can we just… start again?"

"Ahhh yeah." He breathed a sigh of relief that Gordon hadn't pushed him. "I'd like that."

"Want to go for a walk outside? Dad's put a lot of effort into landscaping and I don't think anyone other than me has seen it. It's pretty impressive. "

"Sure." Hopefully Gordon couldn't see how red John had gone.

Gordon led the way outside and down the stairs that connected the top floor balcony to the ground floor and the gardens. The consisted of mostly tropical plants, some more rare and exotic than others with the intention that some would take hold and take over the island.

"So…" Gordon hesitated. He didn't know where to start since he had no idea where or what John had been up to for so long. "You're looking well."

"You think? I've had to look after my health, and no, I didn't give up smoking." John looked up. "The sky's so clear here, it's great for stargazing."

"Yeah the skies are pretty here. On a cold night you can see the Aurora Australis glowing over that way." Gordon points off towards the south of the island. "And on warmer ones you can see the sea glow with lots of microscopic creatures all showing off bioluminescence."

He tugged at his really loose shirt. He hadn't bought any new clothes since Scott had for him and unlike John who stayed pretty much tall, slender and healthy despite what he just said - Gordon knew he had shed a lot of weight being unable to do intensive exercise and eat properly.

"How long are you staying for?" Gordon asked tentatively, one of his hands reaching for one of John's and pulling back on contact. "The few times I've seen you it's felt really….short and not necessarily with the best of moments of everyone."

"But that's… ok. Pretty used to being razed by them now. Just rather you didn't see it or join in. Guess that won't be happening anytime soon."

"Oh Gordon it's not like that - I had no intention of it, things that happen on some rescues are absolutely terrifying we're trying to cope with it the best we can"

Gordon seemed to be shaking, the cooler air outside was really getting into his bones. Hiding inside almost everyday he wasn't on a call out made exposure to the elements however mild feel more extreme.

"John…I…" Gordon stiffened best he could, his short stature standing tall briefly though for some reason the older Tracy looked younger than he ever had which was saying something considering how his recovery had gone. "Don't stay away too long, ok?"

His shoulders suddenly slumped and John could see how weak Gordon still was, his recovery not as great as it should have been. The only reason he was standing was due to all the metal in his hips and legs. Either that or something really heavy was weighing him down that physical recovery was going backwards in order to keep up with everyone around him.

"John… Can I show you something?"

"Sure."

Gordon smiled in what felt like ages. He took John by the hand and lead him back to the house and took the stairs up to the top decking, around the far side of the house to where some lattice work led to the roof.

"Don't tell Dad ok? He'll have kittens." Gordon grinned before he started to climb up to the roof. He reached down to help John and once he was able to stand he could see the impressive view.

"This is as far as I can climb, I'm sure there's prettier views higher up in those cliffs behind us. It's good enough for what I do though." When John stopped drinking in the sunset, he noticed Gordon had walked across the roof and taken a seat on a camp chair by a familiar telescope.

"I come up here three times a week, as you can see the station cross the sky better without the light pollution. In fact you could probably see it cross in -" Gordon paused to look at his watch and compare it to a notebook. "Two hours if you're not too cold and want to sit here with me." He shivered again. "Maybe after I throw on another two layers and a jacket."

"Mmm two hours you say, I have an idea then"

As Gordon went to put on a few more layers John got some blankets and bundled up the food he'd cooked as well as grabbing a bottle of wine, carting it all up to the roof was another story.

But finally John was able to lay it all out for a wine and dine experience under the stars.

He was seriously worried about Gordon and how much weight he had lost, was he eating enough? Hopefully this would encourage him to eat more.

"Sorry there's no meat, I can't really eat it anymore."

"It's fine." Gordon called out trying to reclimb the lattice work but having a lot of trouble with the added clothing layers making it hard to move. "Hey, wouldn't mind giving us a hand? Falling wouldn't be a smart idea."

"God no, can't have that." John said, reaching down to grab Gordon's hand and pull him up.

"Thanks. Don't think Dad would appreciate another night sitting by my bedside." Gordon's cheeks flushed, the scars and burn marks briefly visible as colour flooded his features. He was quick to look elsewhere, aware that while he still had feelings for his younger sibling he also had his heart torn out once before and wasn't sure if he wanted to feel that again in a hurry. Almost waddling over to John's elaborate dinner party under all the clothes he started stripping the restrictive items off when he discovered he couldn't even sit down.

"I think the zipper on the jacket's stuck."

"Really, let me see." After trying for a few moments John wasn't even able to move the zip an inch. "It's no good I think you're just going to have to accept that jacket is now permanently a part of you."

"Well that sucks." Gordon pouted. "Smells nice too. How do you eat when you can't sit down or bend your arms?"

"Well you have two options, one is I find something to cut you free, or two…" He shifted around uncomfortably. "I feed you…" He finally said turning beetroot red.

"Uh… um… I-I think I'm ok." Gordon found himself stepping backwards and getting more flustered. This was unexpected and he wasn't entirely sure what had come over John to go from finding him dull and wanting to replace him to ghosting to -

"I-I think I'll just go back inside and try and get this jacket off."

It was as lame as it sounded but Gordon wasn't sure if he was ready for this. Not this time - not as suddenly as they did before years ago when even then, he was still taken aback with how fast everything moved in just one night. Things were messier this time for a start.

"Yeah I think you're right." John sighed. "Sorry I made everything super awkward maybe this all was… umm never mind I'll clean this stuff tomorrow, you need help getting down?"

"Please, if you don't mind." Gordon winced when John turned around to pack away the food looking dejected. He felt awful but what could he do besides blurt out he still loved him. Then what? Would John just take it and laugh? Would he throw him away the second someone different and more interesting came along?

These thoughts stabbed his soul in more ways than one. He wasn't ready to try again… least not yet. John wasn't the same person as before and neither was he and they needed to relearn everything about each other, least Gordon felt he himself needed to so he didn't make the same mistakes.

John helped Gordon back down to safety. He really felt like the biggest idiot truth be told what had he expected, he couldn't really do anything with the threat of Virgil still hanging over him, seeing Gordon now what chance would he have against him. Even if he wasn't it was still way too late for apologies, or telling Gordon his feelings he should just accept it was over it had been for a long time.

"You okay getting that sorted?" He asked, pointing to Gordon's zipper.

Gordon gropped for it a few times, each attempt failing to grab it. "Does it look like it?" He admitted embarrassed.

"Alright, I'll see if dad's got only gray lead pencils, or if worst comes to worst we'll cut you free." Really, John just wanted to retreat to his room now and be over with this disaster of a night, he felt sure it was only going to get worse.

Back down in the house he tried a pencil on the zipper but it was still refusing to move.

"Damn it, how much do you like this jacket?"

"Scott bought it. Like everything… except the shirt underneath. I think it's one of yours as it's too long." Gordon was still very red in his face but not in the best way. "It ended up in my laundry by mistake and I was afraid you'd stop talking to me forever so I kept it. Is it hot in here?"

"Oh umm, okay… in that case I'll ahhh get some scissors…" John's pale skin meant he went even redder than Gordon. With scissors in hand he finally worked up the nerve to ask as he was cutting.

"Umm why do you… still want to speak to me? I mean after everything I've done?…"

"Because… Because I missed…" Gordon's legs started to buckle. He was tired, sore, scared and overheated, heart going million miles a minute sprinting laps around his chest cavity while his stomach threatened to belch up butterflies and his brain was losing the battle at least for now that logic should win out over his feelings.

He needed to lie down. On the floor right here seems like a good spot…

Scissors clattered noisily onto the tiled living room floor as they were tossed aside, Arms catching Gordon as he blacked out on route towards the ground.

***

"Yeah he does that alot lately." 

"Dad's thinking of taking him off duty for a while, it's easier now you can fill in for a bit - oh don't worry it's not often we need Four so you'll probably have an easy time of it."

Gordon kept his eyes shut. He eventually started coming to on the couch but overheard John, Scott and Virgil discussing his physical health made him think twice about getting up. He must have been out cold for a while, at least long enough for the rest of the family to return home.

"Just between us," Virgil said, folding his arms. 'I think Dad getting him involved was a dumb idea. He hasn't recovered in the slightest. He and Grandma shouldn't be here and living in the country somewhere."

"So the fact he's made the place here inviting to live in has escaped your notice?" Scott raised an eyebrow. "Some of the nicest places in the house are his doing."

"He'd be better off on a farm in fresh air, not hiding inside the house all day."

"Dad built this place with all of us in mind, everything here is especially for us. This is the best place for Gordon to be not only with his family but the island has fresh air and warm which is just what he needs."

"I agree." Scott nodded. "Dad wouldn't have got the idea for International Rescue or this house either." He grinned. "It's not like he does much different, we all laze around this place. I'll admit there's not alot to do sometimes."

"His our brother, why are we acting like he has no right to be here… he was in a horrific accident, that he will carry the scars of for the rest of his life and we been acting like it's his fault, instead of being there for him we have pushed him to the side as if he was in the way, all of US!" He cut Scott off sharply before he could argue.

Scott looked dumb founded by the sudden outburst. "I wasn't disagreeing with you John, though I think you'll find I was the only one here with Dad making sure he was ok when the medication sent him off the rails. Where were you when that happened? Oh right, too busy to even answer the phone even for me OR Dad. I think you both need to cool your jets."

"I…" The dark look from Virgil made him look twice and he closed his mouth.

"You more than anyone Virgil, though John's a close second. I know Gordon didn’t want Alan hanging around and don't blame him for doing so. I helped with some of the house so I was around enough to see things I wish I hadn't."

Gordon peered over the back of the chair and when it dawned they were very distracted arguing he slipped off the chair and snuck out of the living room, far away from the noise and the general feeling that they all just didn't see him as a person - at least not anymore. Why couldn't they fight over something else?

There wasn't anything John could say, he turned around and headed out the door.

He hoped taking a walk would help him cool off. He could confess to Gordon he loved him, he didn't think he could take being rejected, how Gordon had reacted didn't give him any confidence he wouldn't do just that.

He made it to the island's small beach and watched the waves for a bit gathering his thoughts.

He can't say about what happened between him and Virgil either and why he had avoided him for the last two years. 

He stripped off his clothes and waded out into the water far enough he could touch the bottom but also float on his back. It was a little like being in zero gravity but it certainly didn't help with his thoughts, and after what Scott had just said he was starting to believe - truth be told he hadn't really changed so maybe it was better to let Gordon go before hurt again, he could never have really done anything with Virgil around anyway, why would Gordon want someone like him - not only a user of others but used and damaged himself, Gordon was better off without him.

But if it was true why did his heart ache so painfully why couldn't he stop the tears that started to fall, that washed away in the waves.

"Whatever." Virgil snorted. "I still say he shouldn't be here."

With that he also walked off downstairs towards his own room and as he closed the door he opened his laptop.

When he had some time alone, he had set up cameras around the house, specifically in certain bedrooms. Two years had made him a little desperate and while he could always go for the younger two again they had both matured in ways Virgil had lost some interest in. Alan had filled out more and John was too tall and had a haunting look about him that made Virgil think twice about pushing too many buttons.

But he NEEDED to fill that void somehow and to his mild disgust he had started gaining a bizarre attraction to Gordon. It had to be those few photos he knicked from the ones he found - they were messing him up. Feminine face but body of a well toned bloke just didn't cut it…. But now it was the other way around wasn't it? Finally his sibling looked masculine enough to fit that image and yet…

All the musculature tone had evened out and his brother now looked smaller and way more fragile, the traits he used to find desirable in both John and Alan. Fuck it was confusing and there was NO WAY he wanted to let on that he had any attraction there. He opened a desk draw and sifted through various photographs, ones where he forced Alan and John to have sex with each other in various poses, ones with them both tied up where he freely toyed with them… among others. He pulled out the ones he wanted, ones he KNEW Gordon couldn't have taken himself as they looked very much staged with someone holding the camera for him while he was posed with various stuffed toys and very 'feminine' outfits.

Sure enough, Gordon had retreated to his room and now free of the jacket was starting to slowly get changed Virgil watching every moment, zooming the cameras in for better looks.

If only he was game enough to enter himself and touch…

Virgil sat forward on his seat when he noticed how differently his sibling was behaving. Gordon had stopped after stripping off his shirt and had sat on the floor beside the bed slightly obscured by one of the fish tanks, arms around himself tightly as if… 

Frustrated, Virgil closed the laptop, pulled out a few pictures from the draw and stalked out of the room and down the hall, swinging the door to Gordon's room wide. Shit he forgot it was like a greenhouse in here!

Gordon hadn't moved. "What do you want?"

"Nothing much. Just worried about you." Virgil purred, closing the door and sitting on Gordon's bed behind him. 

"Yeah sure… you just want me gone. You ALWAYS want me gone."

"Not this time."

Gordon looked up at him. "What do you mean, 'not this time?' I heard what you said to Scott and John."

"Then you heard what John said too I gather?"

Gordon swallowed. 

"You didn't take those pictures we discussed by yourself for strangers did you?" Virgil's voice rumbled. "John did." He leaned down and forcefully turned Gordon’s head to look at him as he tried to look away. He could feel the metal plate in his sibling's jaw and wondered exactly how hard he'd have to hit him to make it bend out of shape enough to make the damage permanent for lying to him. "He even bought those clothes you were in." 

"So? What if he did? He didn't… but if he did what are you going to do? He's a lot tougher now, I wouldn’t bother picking a fight with him over it just to be proven wrong."

"You're right, I can't prove it." Virgil sat back letting him go. "But just so you know, you're protecting someone who didn't care a thing about you." He handed Gordon the photographs he brought with him, a small handful but what stood out was one of John and Alan on hands and knees, faces covered in cum with a pretty impressive shot of Virgil's own privates. 

"It was their idea." Virgil lied. "How could you say no to two beautiful faces like those?"

"We're still at it too, ever since we all came to live here. You weren't ever a second thought for him. I'd give up covering for him Gordon, the cats have been out of the bag for ages."

"What do you want from me? Clearly you got everything."

"Not quite. You might be ugly as sin but those photos… of you dressed up..."

"You want more?" Gordon looked shocked. "Why? Haven't you done enough?" 

Virgil leaned forward, hand creeping across Gordon's bare skin until he grabbed and squeezed lower down eliciting a yelp. "If you model for me, then maybe I'll let you into our little 'orgy parties.'"

"If I don't?"

"Then your arse is mine." Virgil growled. "And I'm anything but gentle when I take what I want."

***

"He's leaving today?!"

"Yeah, he has to head back up early, Alan's said there's been a system wide communications failure up there so he has to help fix it."

Gordon's heart sank. He hadn't meant to avoid John the whole week but he had been on call outs he couldn't get out of. When he was home he simply crashed, Scott having to carry him to his bedroom more than once to make sure he was alright after collapsing in the hangar of Thunderbird Two.

Well collapsing was thankfully the only bit Scott saw. There had been an argument with Virgil that had him take a few blows to the guts so when he eventually stumbled out he simply buckled in half.

Would Scott do anything though if he did see it? Gordon often wondered how much he could trust him since his trust in everyone else seemed to be seriously mislaid.

"Oh. I barely spoke to him… or got to say thank you."

Scott patted him on the back. "I'm sure you'll get to. I know you missed him a lot."

"Bit too obvious huh?"

"Not as much as you think. Seriously Gordon you were hallucinating that badly you were telling us you were seeing mum, Grandpa and Uncle Kelsey. Anything you said for those six months while wild and absurd we knew that it wasn't something you could control." Scott sighed. "You did keep begging for John to come home, can't deny that something was going on under all that other shit, you've always been pretty close."

"Calling out in panic?" 

"More or less." Scott smiled. "That's why I'm not surprised. I probably would have cried out for whoever I felt closest to if it was me."

Gordon relaxed. So Scott didn't think there was more to it than just superficial brotherly stuff… at least if he DID think otherwise he was clearly not letting him in on it.

"You know, Thunderbird Three doesn't launch for another twenty minutes as they're waiting for Five's orbit to line up so if you were to sneak a box of chocolates on board to say sorr…"

Gordon's eyes lit up. "I have an even better idea!"

Darting into his room he picked out a pot of red carnations and some messy hand written notes he'd been working on, all of which showed not just words but a musical score too. He hadn't felt inspired to write a song since John and Alan had left him and all of a sudden after the last awkward visit…. BAM! Inspiration hit. 

There was just one problem with it. It was very melancholy in nature because some of the fear of Virgil instilled in him had accidentally been funnelled into it and changing it took the emotional soul out.

Hopefully John wouldn't notice. 

He slipped out as fast as he could to the living room to the couch that took him to the rocket silo so he could leave his little 'gifts' so John could take them with him into space.

 

John finished packing all the tools he needed into a box before taking them to Thunderbird three, this week had not been the kind he had at all hoped for.

Even though he had decided it was better if Gordon and he just remained as brothers, he hadn't even had the chance for them just to do that. After the non stop rescues all week, three of which he had been out on.

He was completely exhausted when he got back so he could only imagine how Gordon felt.

Now in the cockpit he just about sat on something on the seat, a red flowered potted plant - there could only be one person it could be from, John felt his heart lift seeing them.

He had felt down all week after his decision that his mind didn't see the logic in, maybe Gordon did still hold a candle for him, why would he leave these flowers otherwise?

As he shifted the pot plant, he noticed a scribbling mess on some paper in his brother's handwriting. On rare occasions his sibling would write down the ambling notes and words to songs that he made up though he never let anyone see them. Just as well as it was appalling trying to make it out. Maybe when he got up on the station he could write it out neater and feed it through one of the computers? They should be able to interpret sheet music.

The trip to the station was by now routine that parts of his mind shut off during the journey until it was time to dock. Alan was easy to find, he was underneath a control panel with a tool box, coverd in oil and grease as he changed bits of motherboard out for newer, unfried ones.

"Ok so nodes forty five and sixty three are swapped around, only nodes seventy eight and ninety two are left to change." Alan muttered to himself aloud.

John paid him no attention, instead putting the pot plant down on the computer console opposite and while looking at the paper he imput the notes to see if he could get something that would play them. 

Alan poked his head out when a strange melody from the console above him started making noise, all the machines inside the communications room beeping, clicking and chiming in harmony. John had his back to him but Alan could make out his older brother singing words along to the tune.

"Wow, did you write that?" Alan asked, walking over and wiping his greasy hands on a rag. "You sound absolutely amazing! You've got the voice of a nightingale."

John shook his head.

"Then who?"

"It was Gordon." The emotions behind the words spoke from his own experience and feelings. It stirred something in him he hadn't felt in a long time, and just emotionally he hoped Alan didn't notice.

"Hey I'll be back in a few, long trip -need the bathroom." 

"Uh ok sure John. No rush. It's not like your shift starts now or anything."

John didn’t get further than his cabin, diving into it, slamming his hand against the button to shut the airlock, banging himself against it in a desperate struggle to remove his uniform. The music, the lyrics were the ultimate foreplay even without Gordon to sing it John felt it caress and stroke his soul to the core, his mind awash with a needy want to give in to intimate play.

John had assumed his body was broken after what Virgil force upon him and Alan, finding anything that would have normally sent his arousal through the roof failing to get any reaction other than wincing and whimpering for it to become fuel in nightmares later but something somewhere under it all his body, mind and soul still remembered - no cried out and screamed relentlessly- for Gordon.

His brother's warm charming charismatic happy go lucky voice and how deep it suddenly got when he sang and made passionate love to him, the way he spent time wanting to tease, to titillate and make John so damn switched on that when they did get to it they were dirty and did it for hours, John never wanting to let up incase he woke up the next day and his brother wouldn’t be there because of the shit that went on at WASP, the fact every encounter no matter how slow and sensual or fast and furious they took it they treated it like it was their last and with the only living being on the planet. 

It didn't matter who was on top, John loved feeling his sibling buried deep within him all hard, thick and at attention or snug, warm and perfect fit to love in return.

Every single part of him remembered how Gordon was able to play him like a theremin before his fingers ever touched his skin - heck sometimes foreplay had got so intense John could be switched on with his lover's hand hovering over the area of his body sending tingles of anticipation through it.

John slumped against the door, breathing heavily with his fingers slicked and sticky in his own seed. Holy shit that was intense…why did Gordon think he was BORING? John realised now he was just being fucking greedy. He HAD the most incredible lover and he stupidity wanted more. No one, not one damn single person could ever replicate that desire, that anticipation, the feeling of uncontrollable ecstasy and fun.

No one had that after sex glow either, not in the same way Gordon did, cuddled into him. John felt like he was illuminated after they'd been intimate each time….

What a stupid fool he had been. He needed to do something about that.

***

"Are you going to be ok with just you and John?"

Gordon nodded. "I'm just hoping he touches down ok and that Scott doesn't need us in an emergency." He smiled. "So you're really going to pop the question to her huh? I'm really proud of you, you've grown up so much."

Alan blushed. "You think so?"

"Of course I do. Tintin is lucky to have you Alan." Gordon chuckled. "You're not as spoiled as you used to be."

"Well I have you and John to thank for that."

"Mostly John, I take it?"

Alan hugged Gordon tight. "I think you'll find you're more the one who helped me see straight, that I've needed to look for love in better places."

"If things were different Alan, I'd rather you didn't have to learn that off me at all. I'm the last person you should be learning anything about relationships from regardless of whatever alternative realities may exist out there." Gordon sighed. "I've messed up us being brothers by taking things too far I'm pretty sure I've done a other sorts of damage-"

Alan put a finger to Gordon's lips. "I'm going to make one thing clear, Gords. We have at least until college been home-schooled either on Grandma's farm or on the various bases Dad had dragged us to when Mum was alive. We never made friends outside of us or experienced the joy of feeling attraction for others. Pretty certain at some point that's messed us up more than we could have done ourselves. I think Dad's realising it too, which is why he's taking Scott and Virgil off the island so much in hopes Scotty will hit it off with Penelope and Virgil hopefully finds someone."

"What about John?"

"I think John's made it pretty clear he doesn't want to be set up on dates. I've overheard him arguing the point with Dad over dinner, which you are going to HAVE to start joining in." Alan poked Gordon in the chest. "You're missing out on some VERY interesting stuff."

Gordon winced. "I don't feel comfortable enough yet Alan. I've gotten used to a lack of company."

"Yeah we kinda can tell." Alan folded his arms. "Tintin's been worried that you're not eating properly and I'll be honest, so am I."

"Along with Dad and Scott." Gordon chuckled. "We're fine Alan, I'm allowed to mellow out some. The stuff at WASP that I used to see has sort of had time to sink in and while I haven't had anything like it happen on a rescue yet, I'm dreading it."

"Yeah, Scott said something about you having some serious PTSD while under medication."

"And the rest." Gordon coughed politely hoping to change the conversation. "I suspect Scott knows about John and I, if he doesn't he's getting damn close." 

"What would you do if he said something?"

Gordon shrugged. "Like you said Al, I don't think he can blame us for our unusual attraction. It's over now though, so no fear in having him being disappointed or disgusted."

"Is it really over Gordon?" Alan asked innocently. "I mean I've NEVER seen this shirt before, in fact it looks like something I'd probably find in Tintin's wardrobe."

"Probably. She took me shopping yesterday to get me off the island." Gordon smiled. "She was impressed I knew more about dresses than she did and has asked me to go out with her more often."

Alan brushed Gordon down and smiled at him suggestively. "Well I think you look very nice in it. I don't often see you rocking out in any colours other than brown or orange out of uniform so it's easy to forget how good you look in other colours. The floral pattern on the collar stands out on the olive green."

Gordon blushed, the scars on his face turning a pretty shade of pink. Alan's grin widened. It was obvious he was dressing up for John, he didn't need to point it out though. As for them getting back together? Only time would tell. They both clearly still want each other but Alan could see so many hurdles to jump that he wasn't sure if they'd keep trying if the got stuck at them. He hoped they would, John seemed to be emotionally vacant and Gordon was drowning in his - they needed each other to balance it out.

"I better get going, Dad will be upset if I keep them waiting. Snowy mountains don't skii themselves!"

"They certainly don't Alan. Please take care and good luck. I know she'll be over the moon when you ask her."

Gordon went to the control room above the runway and watched as two light aircrafts left the island before turning his attentions to what he planned to do before John landed. With Grandma and Kyrano busy doing stuff in the round house it meant he had the msin house to himself and John, at least for the night. Hopefully John would be ok when the couch came up through the living room floor to be confronted by a 'surprise'.

Gordon had to get the room decorated for their private Christmas in July. Afterall John missed the REAL Christmas and Gordon, while unhappy about it, was more upset when Alan told him he didn't want to even come down for it. He suspected he knew why but he didn't want his heart to believe it.

He was going to make this as special as he could… he had to make up for his stuff last time.

As the chair moved its jerky way out of the rocket and out of the silo John yawned and considered his options. He had played the song over and over when things were quiet and each time he found himself with a head full of passionate imagery and his hands covered in his own desire to be with his old lover.

The warm gentle kisses, the playfulness of his fingers and the teasing of his hands, the silliness of his foreplay mixed with the strong embrace, how accommodating he was when you rode to bliss…. Fuck John could easily have made a mess in his jeans just thinking about his puppy-like lover.

He thought back to the last time he was down on solid ground and how awkward it had been. 

He'd have to reign a bit back and not run away like a coward. Gordon certainly didn't despite every interaction indicating he should have. 

What John didn’t expect when the sofa returned through the floor of the living room was all the Christmas decorations to be out, including the tree. Sure, they used to celebrate it during the winter when they were small kids in America - so why?

He didn't get time to ponder as the answer wafted through from the den, music filled the living room as Gordon stepped out, hair all styled wearing a bold more petite feminine clothing, strumming his guitar a soft and playful melody and singing along.

A new song, Just for John.

He was at a complete loss of words; this was a real turn around reception he was now receiving. That Gordon was doing all this just for him, he wasn’t entirely sure if the message was loud and clear, it sure looked and sounded like it but after last time, he'd let him call shots - after all it was up to him.
But man it was that hard with Gordon right in front of him, he'd hadn't even come down off the first song, now he was being personally serenaded by Gordon in that outfit that he wanted tear off him by his teeth, this really was too much and he'd have to blind not to notice the effect it was having.

The playing stopped a little after Gordon sat down by John's feet, his older sibling looking up at him and shyly smiling. "I stuffed up last time… can I make it up to you?"

John swallowed hard "Only if you want to, I don't expect you have to do anything." That was difficult to say when his body was obviously begging to be touched, he was at Gordon's mercy.

Gordon's face went pink as he blushed, the scars turning a red hue as if someone had painted stripes on the sides of his face and temples. "What's that supposed to mean?" He asked, a hesitation at the end of his question. "You're the one who dumped me remember?" 

He looked at his guitar and plucked a few random cords before sighing. "I don't know how obvious I need to be John." He gives a nervous laugh. "Do…do I have to be standing naked with a bow wrapped around my waist for you to get the message?"

He stood up and pulled John off the couch. "Come with me… please?"

John didn’t at all resist as Gordon led him wherever he chose to. He was still reeling from the reception he received.

But fear was holding him back as well after last time when he scared Gordon off from coming on too strong, it was the last thing he wanted to do this time, he wasn't sure if he could handle it if he did again.

As Gordon led John down stairs, there was a bounce in his step as while his brother had seen the odd plant around the house and had heard about the underground hydroponics 'cavern' Gordon knew his sibling had never once stepped foot in his bedroom. The thought of showing John the 'jungle' in there made him very excited as out of anyone it was John he wanted to see and share it with the most.

His heart fluttered as he stood at the door fumbling with the knob, he really hoped John would be blown away by it all.

And at least here, he could feel a lot more comfortable too. Romantic maybe? Probably not but definitely would feel more secluded and private.

The door opened and warm humidity hit them both in an invisible fog, Gordon breathing it in as it reminded him of tropical beaches he liked to go sufing at when they still hopped around the states as kids.

The island's temperatures perfect for creating a indoor greenhouse, his bedroom having large windows along one side though you wouldn't have known it as various exotic ivy and plants blocked a majority of them out - which worked out to the rooms benefit for three large fish tanks dominated the remaining walls, and a large double bed splayed out in the middle of the room along with an ottoman, desk that was covered in newly propagated seedlings and two smaller fish tanks where a few fish were being treated before they would be added into the main tanks. 

One of them contained a heavily pregnant bargibanti seahorse that had been given to him when he left WASP that was lazily blending in with some coral. 

Beyond that very little reminded John of the old Gordon, though that being said if he had used dad's charge card instead of wanting to fend for himself he probably would have had the entire shack looking like an old bohemian hermit's hovel… it showed him that his brother had spend a great deal of time trapped in his room after his accident that he had made it somewhere pleasant rather than feel like a prison cell.

"Do you like?" He asked. "If I'm not in here I'm usually pottering around downstairs. The shooting gallery and the pool room don't hold a lot of interest for me so I started getting into plants. I figured I know about aquatic ones, land ones couldn't be too much harder."

"Wow, this is absolutely amazing!" He said as he glanced about the room, ever since they had built the island home it had become a necessity to know a thing or two about hydroponics, as they tried to be as self-sufficient as possible.

He had taken more of an interest in it since he had become a forced vegetarian as a meatless diet could be bland -herbs and spices did a lot to help - but starting with produce packed with its own natural flavour there was no substitute for it, and that really started with how it was grown.

He wasn't as familiar with house plants then compared with agriculture types, but among what he guessed were several different varieties, he moved closer for a better look.

"Hey, is this a monstera deliciosa?" 

Gordon perked up. "It is! Actually it's one of the newly discovered ones that has a velvet sheen of cream so it looks covered in frost." He beamed.

John looked impressed as he examined closer feeling the waxy leaves between fingers. "I've heard you can eat them too, I'd wanted to try one."

"Well maybe if I didn't grow it using water from the fish tanks. I could try growing you one to take into space if you like."

"It might be too cold on the station for one but I appreciate the thought" He continued running his fingers over the leaves for a few more moments. "Gordon I'll really missed you… and I'm sorry for what I've done…"

A hand rested on his shoulder. "Water under the bridge I hope. But if… you think I'm wasting my time still holding on to you after all this time then you need to tell me… as I… I couldn't and probably won't stop thinking of you."

"You do?" He hadn't wanted to get his hopes up, that Gordon still actually felt the same way as he once did, even after all this the songs, the outfit, the christmas decorations, but what he really needed was to hear him say it, or it didn't seem true.

"I feel the same, I've never stopped thinking about you."

With his heart thumping wildly and threatening to leap out and strangle him, Gordon wrapped his arms around John tightly, burying his head into his sibling's collarbone to hide the tears of joy that were starting to flood down his cheeks which were now flushed crimson and the scars a vibrant red hue.

He was scared that if he relaxed his grip for a second, John would vanish and it'll all be just another wild crazy stupid dream.

When he felt the tight embrace returned with just as much affection, Gordon pulled his brother's head down towards him for a passionate and loving kiss.

It started slowly but as they both fully gave in - the heat of the room helping somewhat make their pulses race faster and the smell of raging hormones push sex drives through the roof - clothes were stripped off as kissing grew more needy, more intense and heavier petting started with hands caressing skin and fingers exploring, relearning each other's bodies.

Gordon's brown eyes looked up into John's blues and there was the hint of mischief, his spark hadn't faded at all… it was just waiting for a reason to return. 

He nuzzled John and sat him down by the desk, kneeling in front of him and resting his head on his lap running his hands up and down his jeans legs, pampering and massaging them as he went. It was lazy but boy did it make John's legs sensitive and sitting still impossible. John started running fingers through Gordon's hair which had slowly turned a brassy colour now it didn't see much sun and was rewarded with soft purring murmurs which made him squirm more… his jeans more than just 'a little tight'.

John couldn't take much more of the teasing he pulled Gordon to his feet as he got to his own and in one quick movement easily swept the shorter Tracy up and carried him over to the bed where he could really lavish some attention on his older sibling, knowing that he needed that bit extra to really get going.

"Woah! Hey!" Gordon wrapped his arms around John tightly in surprise before he was laid down on his bed. He started laughing and pulled John closer to shower him with playful giggle filled kisses, sliding John's shirt free of his shoulders and tickling them.

Those short silly little pecks to John's neck and collarbone had started to become more exploratory once his shirt was discarded onto the floor, giving Gordon full access to his pale porcelain skin and the faded speckling of freckles that adorned it. John shivered as Gordon touched them, counting them as if he missed them and was hoping to discover more.

John was finding it very challenging as he tried to desensitize himself from flinching from every touch, he had to remember this was Gordon and he would never hurt him, like he had been.

So instead he tried to distract by re-familiarising himself with his old lover's body and learning how he had changed, his now pale skin, the scars, the loss of muscle definition that he could now feel several of his bones.

Gordon shivered when fingers brushed his ribs as John placed kisses along his neck as the scent of a floral cologne reached his nose.

"Perfume just for me?" He teased as a hand rubbed his sibling's inner thigh causing him to gasp as his touch was having a strong effect on him.

Gordon smirked. "Would you rather mint cologne?" He jinked his hips upwards as John drew a nipple into his mouth and lavished it with his tongue as he roughly started to tug at the blouse to get him free. 

"Ah! N-no fair!" He whimpered, voice catching in his throat as his breathing hitched and he gasped in delight. "I'm supposed to be entertaining you here! Ahhhh! Mmmm uhhh ah!"

Gordon shifted as his body trembled and withered with desperate anticipation, hips pushing his body to rub against John's tight jeans and through his loose dress pants he knew John could not only feel how excited he was but also how eager and willing. Two and a half years of little physical contact that wasn't related to rehabilitation was starting to show, Gordon's entire body crying out at John's hungry touch.

"You're a-an absolute tease!" Gordon now had a mild begging tone in his words. "I yeild! Uhhh I y-yeild!"

John appreciated Gordon's choice of easy to remove fashion as he discarded his pants on the floor.

To be greeted with a still impressive display - the accident hadn't changed that thank god - as it begged to be taken for a ride.

But John just couldn't bring himself to, after all that had been forced on him, even though it had been over two years ago the scars from the experience were still very much on the surface.

Gordon gave John a worried look. "Something wrong? We don't have to - uhhhh d-dang your hands are h-hot!"

"Well your room isn't exactly as cold as the winters in Iceland. I was dripping with sweat the moment I stepped in! It's like the tropical rainforests of the equator!"

"At least I can lick you clean." Gordon purred, pulling John closer to prove his point by lapping up the beads of salty perspiration from down his lover's neck and shoulders. Before he could get too adventurous John had started to stroke him and after such long absence it started to send Gordon's body wild, back arching as he withered and panted, hands desperately reaching out to make love to John though his sibling had sat back to watch him squirm under all the attention.

"Nuhhh uhhhh huuuh…" Gordon could barely make anything comprehensively come out besides moans and cries of pleasure leaving him vulnerable and completely at John's mercy.

"Body didn't forget me huh?" John growled hungrily, enjoying the view before slipping out of the fly of his jeans and pressing his own needy body against him. "Let's see how much it missed me…"

John continued to stroke Gordon, pampering him with his hands while considering what he wanted to do. He desperately desired his sibling, dreamed about having sex with him the entire time he was away because of that damn love song and some of those dreams while passionate and endless, he realised now as thought ran through his head that alot of them were also volatile in that he would be so rough that he had physically hurt him. 

Those ones were what was stopping him pressing ahead, when he had the one thing he wanted begging him to play and take the hit of euphoria. 

Gordon could sense it too, reaching up to cup John's face in his hands. "We don't have to…if you don't want to anymore. It… it's been nice just to be with you again." He pulled him into a long passionate kiss.

No, John thought. I HAVE to do this. For my own sake and to show myself that I can move on. I will not let what Virgil had done dictate and control me. He will not win.

Besides, if I don't all I'll be thinking about is more sex - I don't think I can spend the rest of my life wanking off to my imagination. Besides, I'm the one in control here….

John returned the kiss, just as hungrily and made sure his brother knew that he wasn't about to say no, using his tounge to explore the same moment as he stopped idoly rubbing against Gordon, holding onto him tightly as his back and hips arched underneath him as he made his way home.

It had been so long he had almost forgotten what being inside of Gordon was like. There was nothing like it - even Alan's tight pert arse wasn't even close. 

He was where he should have been all along.

Entwined with each other it was as if he never truly left. Sure it was over far too quickly, he didn't have the capacity to hold out as his body was desperate to release and get to the good feelings fast…but he didn't withdraw, instead taking the time to re- explore his old lover, caress him and feel every shudder and shake, his hand wiping his siblings extrodanarily large and probably much needed release off his stomach and licking it off his fingers, remembering how good his lover tasted and observing how much he had missed seeing how frail Gordon could genuinely be when he was allowed to pull back the curtain of being seen as a tough guy…. Something John would need to accept wasn't the case anymore as his brother no longer had to pretend to keep up appearances. It wasn’t long before he was rock hard again ready for an even longer and hopefully more satisfying round two.

Little did John know that their night of endless extacy in private was being recorded.

***

"You remember my studio?"

Gordon slowly nodded. Jeff had given him a week's relief to rest at home while he took Scott, Alan, Tintin, Grandma and Kyrano out to the mainland in the UK for a formal occasion hosted by a friend of the family. Unfortunately, Virgil had to stick around incase of a call out but it had been a slow month so they didn't expect any to occur while away.

His eyes glanced around the big bedroom with connecting photography and art studio and remembered not long ago he sat by Virgil's bedside watching them relocate an old building on the television while his brother recovered from a head injury he got from crashing Thunderbird Two after it had been shot down. He thought that everything was back to normal between them and that his aggression was genuinely only tied to him finding the pictures and the lace.

He had since learned otherwise.

"I'll have to fix that black eye but that shouldn't be too hard. Try kicking me in the nuts again and you'll get more than a bruised eye socket."

Gordon didn’t reply. Virgil HAD done more than just hit him in the face but mentioning it would probably get him beaten till he could no longer stand… with a risk he'd do something else while he was unconscious.

Right now he wished Scott was around. The eldest had been keeping an eye on him and while restrictive to being made to rest in his room a great deal, it was appreciated since food and other things were brought as well at least Scott could hold a conversation with him that didn't suddenly become awkward.

"Strip and put that on." Virgil pointed to a box that was sitting on an exquisite chaise lounge in front of a very expensive looking camera. 

"I - In front of the camera?"

"Yes." Virgil moved behind it and started to fiddle around. "Slowly, so I can capture the best quality shots." He gave Gordon a warning glare. "No rushing now because I mentioned it." 

The words hovered in the air, dripping with a threat that Gordon hoped he could somehow avoid.

Carefully, Gordon removed his shirt and the singlet underneath revealing a body that was still toned but very boney, as if the muscle had disappeared and left nothing except something lithe and fragile. Vivid scars criss crossed his torso, some looking as if chunks of flesh had been carved out of them. There was a clicking and whirring sound as the camera zoomed in and out for pictures.

Gordon opened the box and while normally he'd be excited to see what was inside, he knew that it wasn't chosen by someone who cared about him.

It was black, lacy and very skimpy and would have probably been better looking on someone with boobs - something Gordon used to be able to fill out but now? Unless Virgil was going to make him wear a fake chest would it be impossible. 

If he could somehow get outside and into the garden, maybe he could hide outside for the rest of week?

As he removed his jeans with difficulty, revealing more vicious looking post surgery scars, Gordon threw them at the camera making it topple, forcing Virgil to fumble it to catch before it landed in the marble floor and darted off as fast as he could, taking the stairs two at a time until he ran out onto the balcony from the living room. Before he could make it for the outside stairwell to the garden, Virgil barrelled out from the open sliding door slamming Gordon into the balcony railing before grabbing him and pinning him against the brickwork of the house with all the strength he had.

"Now you listen here you intolerable little Shit," Virgil barked as blood escaped his brother's lips. "You are MINE. If you insist on fighting me or running away I have some news for you, not only will I pumble you till every bone is broken and stick the biggest longest most painful looking dildos into you as hard as possible but I will ALSO show dad ALL the photos of John and Alan and say I found them in your room. I bet he'd be beyond upset his 'little athlete' is a sicko."

Virgil grinned. "Especially since both of them were living with you at one point and I made them leave with me after they were awfully sick….I think we could easily suggest you poisoned them to hide the truth."

The grin widened. "Besides, wouldn't want me to show these pictures we're about to make to your secret lover now would we? Though when I'm done with you John will NEVER want to touch you EVER again. Though it's fucking beyond me why he'd want to fuck a pathetic UGLY scarred little worm like you. It's funny, I never would have taken him as someone who'd give pity sex but let's face it Gordon, pity sex is all you'll ever get as you're only good enough for is a cum receptacle."

Virgil's weight shifted just enough for Gordon to peel himself from the wall with a pretty decent sized gash to the temple.

"I wouldn’t think of suicide either, though it would make fabricating lies about you much easier for me." He gave Gordon a small shove back towards the living room, the shorter Tracy a lot more compliant than before.

His little 'bird' was going to learn it had nowhere to escape.

After several hours of posing for pictures to get the right suggestive innocent shots, Virgil started to strip off before advancing on his quarry that after the last batch had his arms strapped to the armrest of the chaise and hidden by cushions so he was bent over keeling on the seat. Gordon watched as Virgil loomed over him holding a remote controlled vibrator in one hand and the camera in the other before burying his head into the cushions so Virgil couldn't get some sick joy out of him if he started to cry. 

"I warned you, push me and you'll be at my mercy." Virgil purred before pushing the toy in place, grinning as he got an unsolicited yelp from his brother, still dressed in sexy black lace. He walked around and took more pictures, pressing the remote so the vibrator did its thing, getting Gordon to wriggle, fight and beg for him to stop.

Satisfied, Virgil grabbed Gordon by the jaw and held it while grinning maliciously. "You may be unworthy of being laid but I do need somewhere to unload. I wonder how much you can swallow?" And with that, he roughly thrusted himself as deep into Gordon's mouth as far as he could, roughly holding him by the hair and forcefully making him give head while continually telling him how worthless he was and demanding he swallow after every explosive orgasm.

All while the camera continued to click.

***

"Hey John, how's everything going up in space? Thought you might be lonely so I thought I'd send you something to keep your mind clean and your body warm." Virgil laughed heartily over the holophone. "Check your messages, you're going to LOVE these."

There was a ping after Virgil's voice mail, as soon he had seen Virgil was calling he'd already had a bad feeling no way would he answer a call from him that wasn't work related though.

He thought about not opening just not opening them; it was likely some shit he'd sent trying to get under his skin, a game he didn't want to play.

When he finally did he wished he hadn't, as his watch fell to the floor an anguished scream ripped from his throat echoing around the room, how could Virgil do this? There really was no level he wouldn't fall to, targeting him and Alan… and now Gordon after everything he had been through. How could he?

He'd tried hard to protect Gordon from this but had completely failed.

Enough was enough one way or another this had to stop. Virgil had to be held accountable for everything he had done.

A voice cut through his thoughts from one of the many machines designed to pick up distress calls started relaying something it had found. Someone needed their help.

 

"Ok John, we're in the mine shaft. Tell us which direction the signal is coming from." Alan spoke clear into the coms while Gordon flashed a light around. Above them Virgil was hopefully getting the Mole pod ready to dig through near their location when they found the two missing boys who John had luckily picked up by chance playing a game and had fallen through a sink hole into the mine.

"Alex! Ricky! This is International Rescue, can you hear us?" Gordon called out down the shaft.

"Damn! I don't think I'm getting a signal anymore! There's something interfering with the com." Alan cursed, glaring at the communication device.

"Here, let me have a look." Gordon took it off him and handed Alan the torch for him to shine it. Gordon frowned. "That's not good."

"Hey, didn't John say he picked up their distress call on the shortwave coms?"

"You're right, maybe you can tune into the walkie-talkies frequency instead? It's not perfect but at least we'll find those kids." Gordon started tampering with the device. "Just means we'll have to figure out another way to get in contact with John and Virgil."

"If they can cope without contact with us."

Gordon looked up at Alan and gave him a reassuring smile. "They'll be fine. It's Dad who'll worry the most."

"If you're sure.."

"Ok, add Tintin and Grandma to that worry list. At least everyone would be wanting to make sure you're alright after this."

"I'm sure they'd be worried about you too Gordon." 

"I doubt it. They'll be glad to be worrying over someone else for a change." Besides, Gordon thought back to everything Virgil had said about him and the things he told Gordon repeatedly that the others said behind his back. Right now he didn't really care what anyone thought of him as long as none of them knew what Virgil was putting him through in private. Thank hell he had alot of metal in his body from the hips down leaving very little to break.

Suddenly, the sound of voices filtered through the com.

"Is anyone there? Can you hear me? There's water coming into the tunnel and my brother isn't moving. I'm suck under wood and can't see if he's ok. Please somebody, anybody -"

Gordon spoke calmly into the coms. "This is International Rescue, we hear you. We're on our way, keep talking as loud as you can so we can find you. We promise to get you and your brother out."

Alan pointed down one of the tunnels "I can hear water coming from down that way." 

"Right, then let's get going before the shaft fills and they drown."

 

Virgil paced around in front of the mole pod. It had been two hours since he lost contact with Alan and Gordon. He tried contacting them again and got nothing but static.

He reached into the mole pods cockpit and pulled out the radio to contact John up on Five.

"Thunderbird Five, this is Mole Pod. Lost contact with Three and Four, requesting a signal boost… or anything you can offer to regain contact."

Virgil swore when he didn't get a responce from John either. How the heck was he supposed to know where to droll through so he didn't cause a cave in or accidentally kill them by coming up in the wrong place.

"Mole pod to mobile command, we've lost contact with Three, Four and Five. I NEED to know what's going on so I know where to dig!"

"This is mobile control," Scott's voice replied over the com feed. "I've also lost contact with Three and Four but life signs are still being given. Will try getting Five to do an orbital ground scan to find their location." 

Scott fiddled with some dials on the mobile control communication station before finding the frequency for the space station. "This is mobile control, requiring some assistance from Thunderbird Five. I repeat, I need some assistance."

"Mobile control this is Thunderbird Five, I've lost contact with Two, Three and Four due to heavy strong electromagnetics, I'm attempting an orbital scan stand by."

John was finding it hard to keep his still searing anger from completely boiling over as he worked the control, he was concerned of course for his brother's safety, well two out of three, at the moment he wouldn't care if Virgil dead in a ditch, no actually he'd like to personally put him there.

The screen pinged with movement.

"Mobile control I got something sending you coordinates now."

"Thanks Five. Mole pod I have a visual ping let me know if it's good enough for you."

"Careful Alan, the roof seems unstable here." Gordon said as he slowly used the flashlight to take in the passageway of the mine shaft. "The supports aren't sstructurally sound."

"FAB Gordon." Alan replied behind him as they ducked further into the shaft system. "The kids seem to have stopped talking. I don't think we're picking up their signal anymore there's too much electromagnetic interference on the radio." 

"Damn. Well, how loud can you yell Alan?"

"What kind of a dumb question is that?" He proceeded to cup his hands before calling out at the top of his lungs, "Alex! Ricky! This is International Rescue, if you can hear us, can you call out?!"

They both stood still for a few moments until a faint sound of two kids shouting loudly drifted from the tunnel. Alan nodded to Gordon and they both picked up speed as they continued thier way along the mineshft, wet mud squelching beneath thier boots as the water level seemed to rise as they went.

Eventually they saw a dappling of light though it didn't fill them with hope, as trickling in at alarming rate was alot of water from the rain pouring down from above. If they had to make a guess they were several stories deep and there wasn't any way to have come in directly from above. 

The kids spotted them first. "Hey! Mister! Over here!" One of them called. As the torchlight illuminated them Alan and Gordon could both see where the roof had caved in, trapping both children beneath it. 

They were treading water.

Gordon tossed Alan the flash light and waded over, shifting some of the debris and inspecting the boys for injury.

"My foot is stuck sir! I-I can't move!"

Gordon moved some more of the rubble and realised he would have to dive beneath the sludge. "It's going to be alright. We'll get your sibling out first then I'll get your foot free and get you out as well."

"I'm scared, mister!" 

"I know. But we'll get you both out in one piece, my brother and I promise."

"You're brothers?"

"Yup, just like you. Got into our fair share of trouble too." Gordon said calmly as he moved a collapsed support beam and handed it to Alan to put aside. He reached in and lifted the first kid free, passing him to Alan who took him to high ground further up the tunnel. As Gordon turned back for the other one and shifted another beam he asked, "What's you're name kid?"

"It's Ricky, sir."

"Well Ricky, my name's Gordon and my brother Alan is making sure Alex is ok. I'm going to need you to try to keep your head above the water as I dive under and free your leg. Stay calm and we'll get you out of here as quickly as we can."

Ricky nodded, despite the water starting to creep up to his chin. Gordon gave him a reassuring smile and while holding onto another collapsed support beam beside Ricky to help him find his way under the murk as there was no way for him to see under the sludge he dived under the water and felt his way down until he could feel where the kids foot was. Of course it had to be wedged between some heavy rocks and a few chunks of wood but he was determined to move them despite the fact he now had a largely decreased lung capacity and lacked the muscles to lift anything heavier than a couple of stone. Gripping onto one of the wooden slats, he used it to push apart the rocks and once he got the foot loose he moved the kid away towards the lower water level as he resurfaced coughing up the muddy water.

"You look like the swamp thing, Gordon."

"I f-feel like it, damn that water is c-cold! Virgil better have blankets on Thunderbird Two!" Gordon shivverd. "Let's get out of here before the entire tunnel floods."

There was a rumble beneath their feet and both Tracy's looked at one another.

John turned sharply as one of the monitors behind him gave a shrill pinging sound - a shrill cry. He scooted across and frowned at the dials and moved over to a seismic readout machine and checked the paper that was being spat out. 

He reached over the console and grabbed the headset, flicking a few switches and adjusting a dial or two until he found the right frequency. 

"Thunderbird five to mobile control, I'm picking up some unusual ground activity coming from your location. Can you fill me in on the rescue situation?" 

He was about to repeat himself when Scott's voice came through the radio speaker. 

"This is Mobile Control. We just experienced what appears to be an earth tremor that might be related to the sink hole into the abandoned mine. I still have no contact with Three or Four. We need a bit of assistance if we're going in to extract them before another cave-in occurs."

John's fingers were quick to move, dancing across screens, buttons, switches and dials as he hunted for another way to pick up where his brothers were. 

"Mobile Control, I've picked up four life signs on a thermal imaging scan and they seem to be on the move. Also ran a seismograph scan over the area, you're going to have to get in there quickly as another is on its way. Sending you the coordinates now where you should be able to pick them up. Tell Mole Pod to switch to thermal imaging as that will help guide them." 

"FAB, Five." 

John started to gnaw on his fingernails, another thing to add to his growing collection of bad habits he started to acquire on the job when he was forced to sit and wait around for any news on a bad situation that had the potential to get worse.

The downside of the thermal scan from space was it was very vague. You had to be extremely specific and pray you didn't have anything interfering like a town or a city above the ground you were trying to get radiation signature from. If it wasn't for the fact they were in the middle of nowhere out in Nevada and they were on the move he could have accidentally picked up a badly disposed of nuclear waste that had leaked radiation out all over the place…. Or a group of feral dogs.

He hoped he hadn't messed it up.

"We need to get a move on, Alan lead us back the way we came, I'll take up the rear."

"You don't need to tell me twice!" Alan said powering ahead, stopping only to allow the kids and his brother to catch up. "I don't think for a second we're not going to have a cave-in if the quake comes back more intense."

He led them along the tunnel till another rumble through the ground made parts of the ceiling start to shift, forcing all four of them into a run to get to the next junction point with the safest place to be if they got trapped. When he reached it Alan pulled the boys in close to him as the entire mine started to shake and parts of the tunnel they had come from started to collapse.

Unfortunately for Gordon, the steel in his legs and hips hampered his ability to run and before he could reach them the tunnel ceiling came down.

Coughing, Gordon pulled himself up out of the debris and clutched his head. Some of the wood from the scaffolding had hit him as it had come loose. He couldn't tell how bad it was in the darkness but wow did it hurt!

Even as his eyes adjusted to the new gloom enough for him to make out vague shapes, he was aware that he was cut off from Alan and the two boys.

He called out, "Alan! Are you and the kids alright!?" Hoping that they hadn't been crushed in the quake.

"We're alright! We seemed to be trapped in a junction, all the exits have caved in."

Fuck. That wasn't good.

"Alan? Can you feel any breeze where you are?"

"Yes. The debris is easily shifted too so we at least have some air circulation. "

"Right, well since our radio signals aren't working try the one the kids have on them and try boosting the signal. John might be able to pick it up and triangulate the signal for the Mole pod."

"What about you? That tunnel is flooding? How are you going to get out?"

Gordon looked around and held a wet finger up to feel if there was any air coming into his part of the shaft. "I'll try to head back to the sinkhole. At least I can keep my head above water for a while until I can find an exit."

"If there is one." 

"There will be. That water is getting in from somewhere. Hopefully it's from above."

"FAB. Stay safe Gordon." Alan then glanced at the kids and passed one of them the torch while he pulled out his radio and took the one the boys had to pull them apart and try and boost the signal using their combined power. Hopefully it would work otherwise they were trapped there.

"This is Three, can anyone out there hear me? Scott? Virgil? John? Please respond." Alan's voice fainting came through the machines on Thunderbird Five. "I repeat, can anyone hear me? We have a very dangerous situation."

"This is Five, Alan are you, Gordon and kids alright? I picked up some strong seismic activity." John was quick to respond. He had been worried about his brothers the moment they had lost contact.

"Yeah we noticed. Currently trapped in an air pocket in the mine with Alex and Ricky though unsure how much we have got left as there isn't much of a draft left coming in. If Virgil doesn't come soon we could be crushed in an aftershock as there's barely anything keeping this roof up."

There was a pause as Alan gathered up the courage to say what was next in a way that wouldn’t upset the two boys he was with. 

"Gordon got stuck inside a tunnel in the last shock that was starting to flood with water. I can't dig him out into our section without flooding and risking us drowning too. He said he'll try and find another way out but I'm concerned he has not enough time or air."

"Hold on Alan I'm sending your coordinates to Scott to relay to Virgil, to pick you up." John typed so furiously on the keyboard it was surprising it didn't break, as he ran another scan picking up a small heat signal moving away from the others. "Don't worry about Gordon, I've got him on the scanner, I'm sending your coordinates now, and Alan when this is over we need to talk…" He flipped a few more switches, doing everything he could to keep himself from going into a complete panic.

"Mobile control this is Thunderbird five I'm sending you the coordinators of Alan and the boys. Scott, Gordon has been separated by a cave-in. I have him on the scanners, Alan says the area they're in is filled with water and they're running out of air."

"FAB Five sending information to Mole pod for Alan and those kids and we'll go over in one in a fly by and send you data on the sink hole so you can determine best action for Gordon's extraction."

Gordon didn’t have to travel back down the tunnel too far before he was waist deep in murky water. It wouldn't be long before it would reach the roof of the mine and he wouldn't have any available space to resurface to breathe. He couldn't go back to the cave-in site unless he wanted to prolong drowning another half an hour but the other alternative was to dive under the surface and hope like hell he found somewhere safe to resurface before his air ran out. Either way he was going to drown before anyone came to get him. He reached into his belt kit and pulled out his emergency breather - something he hoped he would never have to use as Brains had simply admitted he hadn't tested it yet and had no idea how much the palm sized tank of oxygen connected to it held, though if Gordon could make a guess as he was good at that sort of thing when dealing with underwater equipment it probably only extended his breath by about twenty minutes.

He wasn't one to wait around to die. If it was going to happen he would rather it would be because he had tried to survive in his final moments. Years of training with WASP and dealing with some of the worst case underwater deaths he'd ever seen in his life had given him a calm almost 'fuck it' outlook towards staring death in the face.

If he was to die, the reaper better make this a fucking personal visit with all the trimmings he deserved, especially since he didn't believe in much after you died beyond you being fish or worm food.

He covered his nose and bit down on the mouthpiece of the breather before diving in.

"This is Mole pod, we've located Alan and the boys and have them on board. Extracting now. "

"Any sign of Gordon?"

"Negative, I'm not picking up a heat signature or anything. That entire section of the mine is under water."

Scott swore. "Ok Virgil, come back up and if I can't locate Gordon be prepared to go in for a -" Scott swallowed hard as he didn't dare want to think he'd ever say it in his life involving his younger siblings. " - A corpse extraction."

Scott finished loading the mobile control center back into Thunderbird One and prepared to take her into a hover so he could take close up scans of the sinkhole and send the data to John. His heart was pounding in his chest hard like it always did when someone's life was on the line though this time he swore he was operating on a single breath, afraid if he let it go that Gordon would indeed be gone for good this time.

"Thunderbird Five, this is Thunderbird one, sending you scans of the surrounding area of the sink hole. Can you pick up anything that my equipment can't? I don't have heat detection onboard."

Despite John's best efforts running the data through three different diagnostics it came up with nothing.

"Damnit!" John yelled, a few keys popping out of the keyboard as he hit it.

His hands were visibly shaking as his heart pounded so hard he could hear his own pulse, he ran them through his hair.

If Gordon didn't make it through this there would be nothing stopping him from outright killing Virgil, not that he wasn't already thinking about it, after the photos he had sent.

"Pull it together John." Scott's voice warned. "I don't like this anymore than you do. Getting mad will not help us find him, alive or dead. He knew the risks, we all do." The line went seemingly dead for a few minutes though if you were listening carefully you could hear the sound of Scott's voice hitching in his throat as he tried to contain his own emotions.

"John, please can you see anything from those scans, anything at all?" Scott voice seened to have a hint of pleading behind it. "You have the most advanced technology up there on Earth… there must be something you haven't tried." 

Felling his way along with his eyes closed Gordon would admit was not the best way to swim underwater but at least he wasn't going around in circles, able to make decent headway with his hand pressing upwards to the ceiling to not only guide him but if he felt it disappear then maybe there could be a temporary pocket of breathable air above him. Remaining calm was the important thing as if he panicked he'd quickly run out of oxygen. Every breath he took he hung onto with care, regulating it and sparing as much as physically possible even though there was every possibility that there would never be another air pocket and he could be swimming to his eventual death but long as he didn't give up until the reaper himself came to separate him from his body then he WAS going to find -

The ceiling wasn't there anymore, nor was the water any lower.

The cavern within the mine must have a high roof here…. And if it's full to the top too….

There would be little chance of finding another tunnel opening on here too without wasting precious air. The only way was up until he found the ceiling again.

He was starting to run dangerously low on air and the bubbles of carbon monoxide he breathed out had stopped as the device's filter was clogging up with mud. He was more at risk of suffocating on his own exhaled breath than from the water around him.

Now was the moment to start worrying.

Scott was right John had the most advanced technology on Earth at his fingertips, but the lot of good it was doing him right now as no matter what scan he tried or data he ran it was the same nothing… he paced back and forth in front of the console a cigarette in hand and another between his lips.

"It can't end like this, it, it… just can't!"
He pleaded to the machine, there was nothing else he could do, but hope and pray Gordon would pull through.

Calloused and pruning fingertips shot up from the murk and slapped around until they gripped the surface of a wall and halled a very mud covered, shivering and exhausted Tracy up to the surface. It was still pitch black but Gordon had to discard the breathing gear, throwing up as warm damp air filled his lungs. He was still deep within the mine somewhere but at least he could breathe as long as he could physically tread water. 

The air had to be coming in from somewhere in the same vein that the water did. He had to find where soon before this air pocket filled with water too sealing his fate.

Hopefully Virgil had gotten Alan and those kids to the surface to thier parents, otherwise this would be all in vein.

"This is mole pod to Thunderbird One and Five, we have reached the surface, I repeat we have resurfaced. Still no sign of Gordon from image scans, Alan has even tried sonar while we dug around for him before being forced to return for refuling."

"We have to go back down there Virgil!" Alan's voice cut in. "We can't leave him down there!"

There was a pause as if someone was checking to make sure those they rescued weren't in ear shot before replying. "He'll be dead by now Alan. Going back down without anyway to locate his body would be pointless, heck it could get us trapped down there too."

As John was lighting another cigarette the screen of the console started pinging quickly butting it he sat down, tapping on the keyboard to enhance. It was faint but there was definitely a heat signature coming from the sinkhole, his heart leaped it had to be Gordon.

"Thunderbird one I've got something on the scanners can you confirm?"

"Scanners are picking up quite a bit of activity here John. There's a lot of uprooted trees and debris. You'll need to be more specific."

"There's a heat signature coming from the sinkhole, I'm sending you the exact coordinates, do you have a visual?" 

"Negative, Five. How far down are you picking it up from?" Scott's voice replied. "My equipment can't penetrate rock."

John was aware he was being pushy and snappy he was so on edge and this really wasn't what he needed right now, instead he should be confronting Virgil and paying him back for just just Gordon and Alan and himself but for everything over those months and longer, he clenched his fist just about thinking about aiming it square into his sibling's jaw.

"Going to be brutally honest here John," Scott's voice seemed to have an impatient click in it's tone. "There isn't anywhere safe to land above the sink hole for me to climb directly in there. It's why Gordon and Alan had to go through a shaft opening further from the site to get in there. Do you happen to have a map of the mine? If so is there any other entrance in the area like an overhead air vent or shaft?"

Gordon's body had stopped shivering, the freezing cold water finally getting the best of him forcing him to stop regularly, gripping to the wall of the tunnel for dear life least he gave in to hypothermia and slip unconscious under the muddy water. At least being cold meant he couldn't feel the throbbing in his temple anymore.

There was a lot of metal under his fingertips suggesting this tunnel was one that was used frequently in it's day but also suggested a potential exit to his predicament if he could hang on long enough. 

Inching his way along he eventually came to an opening of a shaft that climbed all the way to the surface where light dappled in through a wooden cover.

"Hello?! Can anyone hear me up there!? Hey!" Gordon shouted, his voice echoing up along the shaft. As his eyes adjusted he could see several wooden slats across the shaft that if he could climb up onto them and out of the water he stood a chance of rescue if his brother's hadn't given up on him being alive.

He hoped they were still looking.

"Hold on… the signal is moving…" John brought up a map of the mines cross-referencing it, he could see it was moving in a shaft.

"Scott the signal has moved to a new location, it is in a shift moving upwards in a shaft, sending you to the new location now…"

"FAB." Scott looked over the Thunderbird's instrumentation as the coordinates came through. The sleek grey and blue rocket hovered in the air via it's horizontal jets until it was roughly three miles away north from the initial sinkhole. "Sending you pictures now, is there any sign of an entrance? It could be covered over by something I can't see at a glance."

A three dimensional hologram came up on his monitors as John sent him some ground scans and low and behold as Scott tilted them around he could finally see the signal John was picking up.

"I've got something, we're going in." 

As the legs of Thunderbird One's landing gear touched down on the ground, rain cascaded down heavily as another earth tremor rumbled through the ground as Scott ran across it to what looked like a large wooden crate on the ground that turned out to be some sort of cover for an old mine shaft.

He grabbed a crowbar from the craft along with spelunking gear and wedged the steel in between the wood slats to pry the old decaying cover off then shined his heavy duty torch down the shaft.

Gordon found he couldn't climb up the shaft far, collapsing on one of the planks from exhaustion and caked head to toe in slimy ooze. Treading water for over an hour with his injuries had taken every ounce of energy out of him and now the plank he was on was starting to become submerged, his last attempt at getting to safety would eventually lead to him drowning anyway. 

He failed to respond when Scott clambered down the shaft calling his name, the eldest Tracy quick to secure his sibling for an ascent back to the surface and laying him flat on the ground so he could assess the damage. 

"John, I'm sending you a full body scan. Let me know if anything is broken and his current body temperature. Please hurry as I think he's got hypothermia and what appears to be an injury just above the right temple but I can't tell with this bloody layer of mud." Scott could feel the metal in his brother's jaw as he gently turned his head to inspect the injury before deciding that it was best to load him with care onto Thunderbird One and slowly attempt to warm him up.

"Come on Gordon, you helped save two young lives today, living up to what Dad used to always tell me about you looking out for others. Just hang in there a little longer till we get you home." Scott pressed his forehead against his sibling's briefly before John's voice interrupted Gordon's current medical condition.

"Proud of you little brother, I am of all of you." Scott stood up and headed back to the cockpit. "What's the damage John? Is he stable enough to make it home for treatment or or do I need to make a detour?

"Scans show a mild concussion and his body temperature is very low, very likely his suffering hypothermia."

"I figured as much. So he'll probably be able to recover in the infirmary back home." Scott looked over his shoulder to reassure himself that Gordon was indeed still there alive despite being exhausted, concussed, freezing and physically battered. As he sat in the pilot's seat and engaged the ground jets for take off he reported in to John one final time as after here on out he'd be in contact with base until he landed. 

"Thunderbird Five, we're on our way out to follow Two back to base. ETA one hour and forty minutes, taking it at a slower speed to make the return trip smooth as possible for our injured passenger. Thunderbird One out."

John sat back just staring at the blank console for a few moments before putting his face in his hands and sobbing everything from the last two years felt like it was catching up to him, he was it was going to get harder before it got better.

***

Alan had to admit that the last rescue was a mess and that he was worried Gordon had more than just a mild concussion after the mine collapse. Scott said something about him bordering on hypothermia too when he got to him. He figured checking on him in the infirmary wouldn't hurt and put his mind at ease knowing that he was alright.

Walking down stairs and through the hallway when he heard footsteps behind him.

Alan stopped dead and spun around. "What do you want Virgil? You can't hold me prisoner forever you know! I'm going to marry Tintin and YOU can't stop me!"

Virgil leaned himself against the hallway wall. "You finished throwing a hissy fit yet?"

Alan's face went crimson to match his t-shirt. "Fuck you!" He shouted. "You think you're so much better than everyone else because you're bigger, tougher, creative, smart - the entire package that none of us are! Here's the thing, despite all those things, you're nothing but a monst - Hey! Let me go!"

Virgil moved swiftly, grabbing Alan by the shirt collar and pinned him to the wall. He growled, "Honestly Alan, do you really think Tintin will marry you once she's seen the photos of you and John?" He raised a curious and threating eyebrow that made him sneer.

"You wouldn't dare." 

"Oh? Are you sure you can afford that chance?" Virgil leaned in closer. "I've said it before and I'll say it again because you seem to have forgotten…" he pressed his lips roughly on Alan's, passionately showing where his interest lay and how much power he truly welded. Everytime Alan fought back, Virgil slammed his arms, legs and head back into the wall as he was determined to assert his dominance.

He then grabbed both arms and pinned them behind Alan's back and pushed him to his bedroom, Alan struggling every step of the way until the door was closed and he was thrown onto the large double bed. He scrambled to get free but Virgil was able to pin him down and strip him enough so that he could show who was boss. 

Alan begged and pleaded with every breath he could take when his lips were free until Virgil pulled him onto his lap to penetrate deeper, the pleading now becoming yelping. 

There was the sound of someone stirring which made Alan glance around in fright. Someone else was in the room with them! His eyes fell on a figure off in the studio area of the room tied upright dressed in a white lollita dress and a mask that reminded him of those beautifully sculpted and painted ball joint dolls Tintin loved collecting. But it couldn’t be John, he was in space! Unless it was Scott… OH NO, NO WAY…

"I see you spotted my new toy." Virgil purred seductively. "It's perfect isn't it? Shame about its face, but luckily I can change it however I want."

"So you got yourself a life size one of Tintin's dolls? Why don't you …arghh… soddimismise THAT instead of me!?"

"You're cute when you're struggling." Virgil chuckled. "Come and have a closer look."

He withdrew himself and dragged Alan over to the doll and forced him to kneel in front of it. Alan looked up at the melancholy features of the mask and the intricacies of the outfit before him and wondered what Virgil was going to make him do.

Virgil lifted the doll's dress and Alan gasped when his first suspicion of it being a person was revealed, though he hadn't expected it to be of a VERY familiar and impressive bit of male anatomy. As he looked back upwards he noticed other details that started to alarm him. While the stockings went all the way up the thighs they didn't cover all the scars. Further up at the over the top lacy neck collar of the dress Alan could make out blood stains from a trail that lead up under the jaw and under the mask. He was mortified that Virgil had also taken advantage of the one person who had little choice, especially when he should be in the infirmary!

With Alan forcibly hand cuffed and strapped into position, Virgil repositioned his camera for a better view. He looked up when he heard Alan ask, "Can we take the mask off it? It's creeping me out."

"I can put a happier face on it if you'll do as I ask." Virgil said carefully. "I don't want what's underneath to ruin my shoot."

Alan reluctantly nodded. "You're not going to let me go unless I do."

"You're right there. We've got two years of catching up to do." He growled as he walked back over with another more feminine mask with a more 'pleasured' expression on it. Alan watched as it was swapped over, catching a glimpse of Gordon's barely lucid face that was gagged and was bleeding from the injury Virgil was supposed to have taken care of.

"I'm so sorry Gordon." Alan's lips silently mouthed. "I'll get you checked over as soon as I can. We won't be locked in here forever."

"Done." Virgil smiled satisfied with reframing the long fiery red haired wig around the mask to hide any imperfections he saw in Gordon. Alan felt deep disgust that not only did Virgil hurt him the same way he had him and John but he couldn't look at him while he did it.

Alan may have been a jerk to him while he was sick but Gordon still looked after him and John DESPITE what they had done to him. 

"I don't want to do this. I'll do whatever you want just… just let Gordon go, please."

Virgil laughed. "Ha yeah right. Same noble gesture John tried with you. Why would I honestly do that when I already have the both of you?" He ran a hand teasingly under Gordon's jaw before leaning down to roughly kiss Alan's lips. "Now are you going to or do I have to make you?"

Alan thought back to the other day and how just talking to Gordon gave him the impression that his brother felt unwanted and disliked. Alan got the feeling he was struggling being unable to show who he really wanted to be, afraid no one would accept it.

Or in this case, abuse it. Which he was right about.

Gordon deserved better than this, heck John got a better deal and he treated him like he was something you just tossed aside when you were done.

And now John wanted him back. If Alan was honest with himself and wasn't wanting to marry Tintin, he'd probably have made moves on Gordon too. He still hadn't forgotten how wild a ride he was and wondered how much more he could be if he was more willing and didn't have to have to drink or be drugged to give someone else attention that they craved. Maybe he could now he wasn't involved with John? Who would know now since Virgil was torturing him?

Well, if Alan was going to be a sex slave again whenever Virgil demanded it and if Gordon was the one he was forced to do it with, at the very least Alan felt he should make it less of an ordeal for the both of them.

With that resolve in his mind, Alan nuzzled and trailed kisses along his brother's covered thighs playfully teasing and encouraging him along to be rewarded with the monster he packed going all thick and hard at, weeping as it begged to feel release.

Before Alan started to give it attention he looked up at Virgil who had brought the camera close and spoke in a way that took Virgil by surprise. 

"If you're going to make us do this, this beautiful cock is mine and mine alone. I want to be the only one allowed to ride it."

Virgil snorted. "By all means. "Your arse is still mine when and where I want it and his mouth stays nothing but a cum dumping ground."

So he's not using Gordon's body beyond that huh? Alan tried not to be shocked by the answer. Sure it didn't have the incredible definition it once had and was heavily scarred but it was still every inch as impressive as it was two years ago. However it gave him some hope that he might be able to get Gordon out of this - Alan smiling inwardly knowing that he just spared Gordon a little extra torture as no way would Virgil let anyone pound him besides himself and seeing as though barely touched him he was now probably going to only be dressed up for Alan to tease and that was better than nothing. It wasn't ideal but Alan was at least familiar with Virgil to know one of them was being spared.

***

"Nuh…. Let me…go.. please, j-just…please.." 

Gordon slowly came to, eventually rolling himself off the fancy chair and onto the floor with a thud. His mouth tasted like a mixture of metal and something sickly and salty, the texture of rice pudding. He couldn't remember anything after Virgil volunteered to take him to the infirmary beyond his older brother tripping him so he fell down the stairs. His head, ribs and shoulder blades really hurt from treading water in the mine and now clearly his legs were screaming from the stair incident too.

Hopefully nothing was broken.

Opening his eyes he saw blood pooling on the floor. That… that can't be right.

Oh shit not again. 

Though, it did occur to him that he had been left there for a reason and it was probably because an emergency had come up.

Maybe, just maybe he could get out of here. 

He glanced around until he spotted his uniform that was still covered in thick mud from the mine shaft rescue and put a considerable amount of effort into rolling himself across the studio floor to try and reach it. 

If he could get access to his watch, he could call for -

He stopped and rested his injured head on the cool tiled floor. Who exactly COULD he call? If Virgil was right and all of that hesitation from John was because it was nothing more than 'pitty sex' because his own isolation made him desperate enough to give into him then last thing he'd want to do is call up knowing that he wouldn't remotely care what Virgil was doing to him.

He couldn't call Scott, he was certain he couldn't convince him of what Virgil had done while he was currently on call with him - same for Alan too though for other reasons. 

Dad wasn't really an option either. Virgil was in his eyes a perfect son and with the amount of photos his tormentor had of his other siblings in various other sexual acts it was pretty clear it would be so easy to spin this back onto him as some sort of sick deprived thing to add to the list of things he could be accused of.

The worst part was that he had INDEED have sex with both John and Alan. Yes it was mostly consenting - at least on one occasion, the other Gordon was still burned by but had let go of as his brothers were so sick they more or less got their comeuppance - but the fact lay in it was true and denying it would be impossible for him in front of Dad.

Maybe… those photos weren't of his brothers willingly having sex with Virgil and each other afterall… Gordon was admittedly slow to reach that conclusion though Virgil had added to the poison that both John and Alan had already originally left behind.

If he could get off the floor, out the door….

"And where do you think you're going?"

Looking up, Virgil loomed over Gordon. The second eldest Tracy was looking at him with curiosity but also in twisted amusement.

"We're just about to get started, Gordon." His grin widened. "Dad flew Tintin, her dad and Grandma to meet up with Scott and Alan. They were invited to stay and have tea at Lady Penelope's. Of course NO ONE asked me if I'd liked to but then they never ask you either so I figured we could have some 'fun'. Just the two of us." The last few words were spaced out in a predatory tone that Gordon was learning very quickly was something he should be afraid of.

"I have a very special outfit for the occasion," Virgil continued smugly as he picked Gordon up off the floor, dragging him back towards the chaise again and throwing him down hard so his body hit the expensive wood on the top of the chaise's backing, his ribs making a loud cracking sound.

He didn't get time to focus on the pain as Virgil was efficient with not just undressing him but also redressing him in what looked like a skimpy stripper gram wedding dress, completely with veil, all of it pure white satin and lace. The bell of the dress was cut in a way where it barely covered his lap and as Virgil arranged how he was made to sit, you could see right into the centre of the bell.

Carefully, Virgil positioned the knickers around Gordon's calves and smiled maliciously before heading to his painting desk and returning with several cloths and a sharp craft knife and positioned his camera close with a zoom lense. After making sure the mouth gag was still tight and arranging the veil so it fully shrouded Gordon's face he whispered into his ear, "While there is nothing I can do that would ever fix your ugly mug, there is one thing I can do to your body that will make it physically 'perfect'. Don't worry, it'll only make you more… worthwhile taking pictures of? Maybe John won't just pitty fuck you next time eh? Though it'll make it VERY interesting to watch Alan try and swallow."

With that, Virgil got onto his knees in front of him and within seconds Gordon jolted from the sudden slow pain that was burning between his legs as the cutting knife was being employed. He started to thrash about until the blade was stabbed into the side of his leg hard enough to make him stop before he was stabbed again.

"Ohh hoo wow Gordon who knew you'd be such a bleeder and a sissy? All we're trying to do is make you larger…. Don't you want that?" Virgil's voice crooned. "But try that shit again and not only will I cut the entire thing off, I'll give you another scar to remind you not to disobey me again."

As the blade dug into flesh again, Gordon braced himself, biting hard into the gag and trying desperately not to move. While he would rather not be subjected to this involuntarily circumcision he wasn't in any position to fight back.

He would have to wait it out, he wasn't strong enough - at least not yet. Vengeance will come… and he will bring it in a tide of blood if he had to.

***

John had been desperate to leave Five and touch down on solid ground, not just because he was worried about Gordon but more so what Virgil might do to him while in a compromised state. If he was a little more attuned to what was in front of him when Alan took over he would have paid more attention to how withdrawn and tense Alan seemed to be instead of brushing it off as stress from doing a lot of very intensive rescues back to back.

At first he headed down for the infirmary, pausing at the doorway of Gordon's bedroom as a stark memory of his siblings' major accident flooded his mind making him spin on his heel and retreat the other direction. Sure, Gordon wouldn't be in worse condition or anything but the terror of seeing his brother fighting for every breath to stay alive still haunted him and was preventing him from checking on him as his growing anxiety was trying to claim him.

Instead he found himself outside of Virgil's bedroom with its door ajar. 

Frosted blue eyes narrowed as John stepped into the room, the first time he dared to since Virgil announced he was turning half of it into a studio. The room was compared to his own and Gordons, quite large though had absolutely no light from the outside coming in, instead the far back wall consisting of the natural rock of which the house blended into. It was very Modern compared to the other bedrooms and at the very back was a very expensive looking chair sitting in an area surrounded by studio lights and where a camera sat on a tripod. Not too far from that was several easels with many unfinished paintings and off into another corner a desk with several large computer screens set up for digital painting, something far more elaborate than John had in his own room for use with his telescope and holographic imaging projectors.

The room was very clean, much to John’s disappointment but what had he expected? Virgil was VERY thorough when he wanted to hide evidence of wrongdoing. If he wanted proof that those photos he was sent were staged he needed to do some ‘digging’.

Walking over to the computer desk, he sat himself down and booted up the sleek looking deep green laptop that sat in front of the keyboard of the bigger computer. After all he figured - if you were going to HIDE anything you would put it on a device that you could squirrel away at a moment's notice… right?

Scott made his way to the infirmary to check on how Gordon's head injury was doing. He should at least be sitting up and be itching to be walking around again after a few days of rest, he mused to himself. Afterall Scott was afraid if he was there any longer he might accidentally kill his epic jungle he had growing in his bedroom from over watering.

As he stepped in and walked over to the infirmary bed he began to be concerned. His middle sibling had been patched up but the injury seemed to be a lot further down his face than it had been when he had pulled him free of the mine shaft but the thing that grabbed his attention instantly was the patch of blood on the sheets far lower down.

Did Virgil find another injury he didn't tell them about? If so, why not?

Scott's brow furrowed as he inspected the sheets. 

The blood was very fresh.

Peeling back the sheets to reveal the messy and disturbing sight before him made Scott reel back and immediately go and grab clean towels, sheets, pyjamas, steriliser, gloves, warm water and bandages. It was an hour before he had finished tending to his younger brother only to find bruising and other 'strange' things…like misshapen ribs.

What the hell did Virgil actually do when he volunteered to look after Gordon? Clearly it WASN'T to make sure his brother was ok after the incident. Why had he mangled his siblings' body? Where did all these marks and bruises on his skin come from? Gordon hadn't looked this sickly pale from blood loss in two years.

Scott was furious.

John’s fingers tapped relentlessly at the laptop keyboard until the computer gave him the satisfying sound of the loading screen booting up beyond Virgil’s incredibly predictable password screen. It had only taken him less than fifteen minutes to figure it out since while his brother may be a creative genius he was an idiot when it came to protecting his stuff.

Or maybe it was John getting too cocky because once in every single file or program he tried to open required an encryption key.

“Fuck!” John cursed. He didn’t have all day to spend hacking every single file, Virgil could be home any minute and he would be screwed. He picked a folder at random and his fingers danced over the keys and he furiously typed in codes until there was a ‘ping’ and the folder opened up to reveal that it was full of images, none displaying a thumbnail.

“Come on Virgil, don’t you have anything that lets me have a quick preview? Why do I HAVE to open it in a program?” John hissed between his teeth. Sure he knew things about computers but he’d be damned if he knew what the hell programs you used for photo editing.

Fiddling with the computer’s settings he leant over the laptop, plugged the big monitors to it and selected all the images in the folder as a desktop collage. 

Big mistake.

As both large monitors loaded in the collage John rolled the chair back slightly in mortified horror at what he saw.

The main subject of each photograph was wearing a mask, though John could easily work out who it was underneath despite the wigs and all the elaborate hair accessories to make them look female sent shivers down his spine. While John had never given Gordon clothes like those to wear when they were playful back when they were together, he knew instantly that Virgil must have seen the stuff he had done otherwise… well he wouldn’t be looking at lolitita wedding dresses and the over the top doll outfits all arranged on his sibling that were suggestive of as much innocence as he could make before he did horrible things to him in them. There were a lot of close ups of blood on pastel colourd lace… and something that suggested there was a HUGE reason for Alan not wanting to talk to him on their shift change.

“Fuck’s sake Virgil… you.. You had to force Alan back into this… this shit!” John pulled at the corner of his shirt collar with his teeth so he didn’t start yelling at the top of his lungs with how pissed he was. One photo in particular showed that Alan definitely wasn’t a willing participant, in the fact that Virgil had happily taken pictures of himself with them both tied down in compromising positions being taken advantage of.
John had almost had enough of looking at them and was about to wipe the desktop wallpapers when he saw something that looked strange amongst them. It was another close up photo with blood in it all over a white outfit though what caught John’s attention was the scalpel being dug into the skin of somewhere VERY sensitive.

He put a hand to his mouth he felt absolutely sick, what was wrong with Virgil? How did he become so fucked up, that he would do this, everything he had done? John couldn't stop shaking with rage, it didn't matter now he'd hammered the last nail into his coffin - he didn't deserve to live anymore, John would take it upon himself to end the nightmare regardless of the consequences this couldn't go on anymore.

It was the last straw. John was going to HAVE to do something before Virgil hurt his brother's further - especially Gordon. 

There had to be a holo disc around here somewhere for him to burn all the evidence on. Afterall he couldn't just murder Virgil and not have a way to reduce his sentence behind bars. 

As he hunted around on the desk his arm bumped some of the laptop keys and something that wasn't passworded suddenly opened up, the camera above one of the monitors lighting up and sending out a holo projection into the room.

John paced around it, eyes wide in shock that a full three-dimensional view of Gordon's bedroom was being depicted, every single inch of it being recorded.

Without his older sibling's knowledge.

Lying in the infirmary bed didn't last long. Once he regained consciousness, Gordon hobbled his way back upstairs to his bedroom as if he was going to be barely functional in all manner of ways he was going to do so in comfort and in his sanctuary amongst his plants. Truth be told he wasn't about to crash onto the bed as that would mean possibly slipping back into the dark void and right now the last thing he wanted to do was sleep, in fear of what might happen to him when they closed. It was possible the next time he awoke Virgil might have him dressed up like a nurse, hang him by the wrists like a dead bull and slice his chest or lower torso open enough to have his blood heavily soak through the outfit while he took pictures of him forcibly giving head. 

He wouldn't put it past him, Gordon saw the meat hooks hiding under the desk when he dragged himself around the room. Infact the very thought of being a sexual sacrifice for the sake of artistic gratification and torture made Gordon reach for the pair of sharp secateurs from his desk and clutch them tightly to his chest as he struggled to get changed and avoid the temptation of wanting to look at the damage Virgil had done to him. He knew without checking that it was extensive, he would be surprised if he ever got normal functions working properly down there more so than worrying about it's sexual ablity.

Once dressed in loose denim and tie -dye… the least feminine things in his closet, Gordon slid the secateurs into his jeans pocket as a precaution and picked up a jar of country oil, rubbed some onto his hands and started applying it to his plants. Not only did it make the leaves on the tropical and exotic species of fauna look glossy, it gave them some extra vitamins and for Gordon the gentle caressing of the foliage under his fingertips was calming, the fleshy feeling in his hands strangely therapeutic.

Sure, it wasn't the same as running hands over naked skin but the humidity in the room made it feel like close enough to it, especially if the person you were touching had just stepped out of the shower.

And alright so they couldn't stroke him back but that was fine. They repaid him with beautiful lush vegetation, unusual variegation and a way to shut out the world.

When he made his way over to his rather large Prince of Orange, a plant that could easily use up an entire jar of coconut oil all to itself, he failed to see the small hidden camera nestled in the Purple Heart Spiderwort as that was one of the few plants you needed to do this with gloves on. Little did he know it had a pretty good view of his bed and his closet but it also got a good close and personal with his intimate plant care routine.

Gordon had to admit he usually left this plant till last, as rubbing his oil covered hands along it's gigantic slender foliage made him zone out as they slowed down as if he was fondling something else. However after his epic night with John he found himself gravitating to it more readily for comfort.

The beautiful red and orange leaves that turned green as they matured felt so soft, solid and sensuous but were still fragile enough that you still needed a gentle touch to avoid injuring the plant. If he closed his eyes his mind wandered off back to thoughts of John and how much he could make his lover sing, purr and growl with lustful desire with just his fingers and it wasn't long before he was lost in his plant fondling that the hidden camera caught with unashamed abandon.

"What the hell are you doing in here?"

John jumped in surprise, pulling himself away from watching the live feed of Gordon's hologram to stare face to face with Scott who not only looked ready to kill but was also taken off guard by seeing him instead of Virgil.

Scott stormed forward, his mouth open in shock, staring at the hologram before his eyes caught the pictures on the computer monitors. "Did you help him with this?" He shouted angrily, spinning on his heel and lifting John's shoes off the floor as he grabbed his shirt collar. "I KNEW I shouldn't have turned a blind eye to Gordon's puppy dog behaviour towards you but to have you both take advantage of it!"

"No! I'd never… I swear… you got it wrong! It's all Virgil!... Everything!" John managed to choke out as he struggled in Scott's iron-like grip.

"How do I know you're not lying?" Scott snarled. I've just come up from the infirmary and let me tell you what I had to fix is going to need a great deal of EXPLAINING!"

"What?" John was genuinely confused, or maybe it was because he felt like he was going to pass out . "I don't… know what your… talking about!"

Scott looked dumbfounded. "You mean you haven't seen Gordon since you touched down yet?"

"No!..." He pulled at Scott's hands holding him. "What's happened?"

Scott lowered John back to the floor. "He was covered in blood." He points to the hologram of Gordon tending to his plants. "How?" He grunted as he walked around it, various parts of his military training coming over him as he became gruff and imposing. "Is this a recording?"

"Covered, he wasn't that badly hurt was he?" John rubs at his throat. 

"Best you-" Scott's attention wavers back to the computer monitors. "You gotta be kidding me!?" He advanced over towards them and put his fist through one, though there was every chance John had seen it already. "I'm going to ring Virgil's neck with my bare hands!"

"He deserves a lot more than that." John replied darkly. 

"So you'll help me pin him down and castrate him? Maybe gut him while we're at it? How long has this been going on for?"

"Too long, and… it's not just Gordon…" 

Scott glanced at the other monitor that didn't have his fist through it and for the first time through the red mist of anger other details beyond what he assumed Virgil only had done to Gordon started to come to the fore.

"How long has he been doing this?"

John swallowed hard, this was harder than he thought to talk about this. "I wasn't aware of Gordon until recently… it was over two years ago when he first…to me…" He stops for a moment trying to keep it together "And Alan I don't even know…"

Scott barely twitched. "You mean he was doing this to you while he was LIVING with me?"

John could only nod at first, trying to stop the tears that were threatening to fall. "It's why Alan wanted to move in with us… after he made us move, he forced Alan and me to, to have… intercourse and used photos he took as blackmail." He stopped and ran his fingers through his hair, as he could hold back the tears any longer two long years of carrying this around was catching up. "And then he sent those photos of Gordon…" John’s legs weakened and he fell to the floor sobbing uncontrollably, yet feeling like a burden had somewhat been lifted.

Scott got down beside his younger brother, his expression unreadable to John but it didn't need to be. The eldest wrapped his arms around him as he wept, sitting there as the unmovable solid rock he was known to be when you needed him.

"I suppose Gordon knows some of this too?" He said softly. "You think Virgil used this on him the same way he has to you?"

Scott's grip on John got a little tighter in the same way Gordon's would have if he was the one he confessed to, both older siblings having hugs that were like secure warm blankets that he had failed to appreciate. Sure they were different as night and day but they had one thing in common and that was how protective their embrace was. John once assumed it may have had something to do with how disciplined they both had to be working for world security organisations but now he was realising it was because they had been exposed to alot of horrible things making them want to protect others from it however they could. He wondered if Scott ever had nightmares the way Gordon did, ones where suddenly in the middle of the night John would get embraced by a shaky death grip until it passed. Heck even know through his own tears he could feel within Scott's hug the simmering rage that was going to be unleashed the second he saw Virgil despite how gentle he was being.

Things weren't going so well on the hologram feed however, pain flickered across Gordon's face and he jerked away from the plant, shifting away to sit on the bed hunched over in a ball. Bad idea letting his imagination wander, as blood flowed into his groin thanks to hormones which forced him to yelp in agony. 

Shit. He shifted his hands to reveal the blood that was seeping through his jeans. Fucking hell he was going to HAVE to look at what Virgil had done in order stop bleeding. Gingerly he removed his pants and bamboo trunks before immediately using the already blood covered underwear to try and stop bleeding once he had removed the dressings someone had at least been nice enough to apply. He lay on his side in a curled ball aware that he'd have to return down stairs to the infirmary but that was going to be very hard if his other siblings were home. He had to wait it out.

Or he could make a dash for it. Waiting could have him lose it altogether if he got an infection.

Wincing as he pulled back on his jeans, he hobbled out and into the hallway. 

Scott looked up and noticed that the hologram now showed and empty view of Gordon's room.

"John, I don't think that was a recording that was playing." He said cautiously. "If that's the case Gordon shouldn't be wandering around as it would cause him to bleed more."

John looked up with concern. He wiped away tears before getting up and making his way over to the laptop, tapping a few keys and confirmed his brother's assumption.

"You're right, he has a hidden camera in Gordon’s room." John didn't think Virgil could do much that would surprise him anymore. "But why? It's not as if… oh shit, Virgil you fucking arsehole!"

"Huh?"

"Virgil's known about me and Gordon the entire bloody time!" John burst out. "I had forgotten that before he took Alan and me back to his place he had hurt Gordon then threatened me, saying he had claimed me first and if he found any evidence that Gordon and I had…"

"Had what?"

John had already grabbed Scott by the hand and was pulling him out the bedroom door.

"HE'S GOING TO KILL GORDON!"

As Gordon reached the end of the hall which opened up into a library entertaining area he was pushed up against a wall by two thick strong arms.

"Miss me?"

Gordon shrunk back into the wall, hoping to vanish but to no avail. "No."

"That's a shame. I was thinking of what else I could do to improve you while I flew Dad, Tintin and Brains out for their business trip and realised that maybe there is something I can do about that flat chest of yours and I've got a permanent solution that'll make you 'pop'." Virgil purred predatory, sliding a hand underneath the loose tie-dyed shirt and squeezing Gordon's lack of a chest. 

"Though if I'm going to do that, I have to finish what I started with you…"

Before Gordon could slip one of his hands into his back pocket, Virgil had grabbed it and slammed it against the wall, the plain bands of the rings on Gordon's fingers leaving dents in the plaster.

"See, I don't really want John near you especially now that I've sort of become attached to you as my little -" he paused for emphasis on the last word. " - Project."

He took a deep breath and leaned in, effectively pinning Gordon under his weight. "You've always wanted to be a girl right? With some very precise cuts, some changes to your anatomy and some drugs."

"Just because I'm comfortable in feminine clothes doesn't mean I want to be -" Gordon growled before made to yelp in pain from being grabbed through his jeans. 

"You want to be perfect again, don't you? Back to your glory? It'll be the only way."

"I'm not some toy that you can change bits around to suit whatever sick purpose you have." Gordon's voice was low. "Is this how you hurt Alan before he came to live with us? Right under Scott's nose too… wonder what will happen when he finds out? Sure, my body is a lot weaker than yours making it easier for you to abuse at will but I'm wondering will mangling my body into some kind of twisted monstrosity give you the sexual satisfaction you desire? What are you really hoping to get out of fucking up Alan and John's lives too?"

Gordon's amber eyes met the dark chocolate voids of his older brothers. "We all looked up to you Virgil, heck whenever I needed advice or help…..you were who I spoke to first…What happened?"

"What happened? You mean there had to be something like a light switch moment that made me decide to assist you to be the femboy you always wanted?"

"No, like - AAH!" Gordon gasped in pain as he could feel and hear one of his ribs loudly snap. Virgil had heard it too, smiling more as he applied more crushing pressure.

Gordon knew if he blacked out now he'd have his chest mangled and his privates completely missing and quite possibly be dead but the fight not to embrace it was starting to wear him out. Virgil was crushing him alive.

From the corner of his blurring vision something seemed to come up behind Virgil and suddenly the weight was gone, his body collapsing into something else solid that seemed to slow his descent to the floor,the secateurs falling from his jeans pocket and thudding to the floor. 

However his head did not.

"It's ok I've got you."

Gordon forced himself to focus. "John?"

There was a loud thump against a wall followed by multiple thudding on the floor and Virgil backed into the library and slammed Scott who was trying to choke him from behind into a bookshelf. Books rained down pelting them as Scott held a firm grip around Virgil's neck until a thick encyclopaedia slid off on the next shove into the shelves which hit him and made him let go.

Virgil moved swiftly grabbing Scott and pinning him to the book shelf, hands around his neck choking him.

John let go of Gordon suddenly as he got to his feet and without too much thought picked up the secateurs and launched himself at Virgil and thrusting them into his shoulder blade.

Virgil yelped in pain and dropped Scott immediately but had then swung around and clipped John in the face with his elbow then grabbing at his shirt to fling him into one of the reading chairs hard enough that the entire chair flipped backwards with John in it. He then reached up and yanked the makeshift weapon out before he towered over John who was scrabbling to get to his feet as his blood dripped in the wooden floorboards making it slippery to stand.

John raised his arm up just in time as the secateurs came down with speed digging into them narrowly missing having them lodged into his skull. He screamed out in a mixture of shock and pain as they were yanked out and Virgil kicked him back in the stomach to force him to his knees.

Once Scott had gotten air back into his lungs he reached for the nearest table lamp and swung it, hitting Virgil's hand that held the weapon and on an attempt at another swing the burly Tracy managed to grab it, yank it from Scott's grip and swing it back at him with ease, narrowly missing the eldest as he dodged, weaved and ducked every vicious attack until sparks were flying out of the lamp's now frayed electrical cord.

"You think you can hurt me in a fight huh?" Virgil snarled. "Think again!" 

He turned on his heel and with one final slam of the lamp, brought it down across John's back flattening him to the floorboards. He then rolled him over and stamped his foot down on John's chest hard. "If I can't bend you to my will then NO ONE WILL." Virgil growled possessively before looking up at Scott daring him to make the next move. Afterall if he tried anything now it would only take one good stomp to crush John's windpipe. 

Gordon had more or less been left on the floor to haul himself up while this fight was going on and while everything took a few minutes to focus, by the time it had he saw John at Virgil's mercy and Scott left without many options left but to surrender.

Virgil had made a huge mistake forgetting he was there. As the stronger Tracy gloated and applied pressure to John's chest as a threat to keep Scott at bay, something barreled into him and both Virgil and his assailant smashed through the window and onto the ground floor patio, rolling down the garden rookery, only stopping when they reached the pool decking.

Gordon's body lay unmoving, mangled and bruised from the fall. As Scott and John made it out onto the patio they could see Virgil slowly get up and stumble only to glance at Gordon and look up towards them, a wicked smile on his face.

He then rolled Gordon's seemingly unconscious body into the pool with his foot.

"You arsehole!" John shouted, coughing up blood as he fell to his knees. Scott was already sliding his way down the rookery towards Virgil who was shouting something back which was cut short when out from the pool a set of hand grabbed him around one of his legs and pulled him into the pool, his head hitting the edge with a sickening crack. When Scott reached the pool Gordon was having problems trying to get out so he reached in and grabbed him by the shirt to haul him out.

Scott held him tight as he blacked out while watching the pool to see if Virgil would surface, half expecting him to drag them both back into the water.

He never resurfaced.

***

Gordon sat quietly watching as Scott tended to John's wounds in the infirmary. There wasn't a lot that could be done about damaged ribs unless they had pierced a lung so both younger Tracy's were unfortunately going to have to heavily rely on painkillers for a few months.

"We're going to have to dredge him out sometime." Gordon eventually muttered looking down at his hands that were clenching and unclenching against his wet clothes. "We can't leave him there."

"We're going to need to do more than that." John replied struggling to breathe without it causing too much pain. "Dad, Alan and Tintin are expecting Virgil to pick them up soon."

"We have a few days." Scott grunted aware he would be the one scooping Virgil out the pool. "At least to get our story straight."

"I can't believe I killed him."

"His head hit the concrete edge. You didn't know that would happen." Scott raised an eyebrow. "Or did you?"

"What if I did?" Gordon slunk back against the wall. "He was going to mangle me and possibly kill me in the process."

"It doesn't matter now it's not going to change him being dead." John interjected "We need to figure out what we are going to do now he is, the truth isn't really an option."

"I feel like this is all my fault." Scott frowned.

"How could you have known? We were all too afraid to say anything and if we did would we have been believed? Especially with all the photos he took." The fact Virgil had knowledge of his and Gordon's relationship was one of the main reasons but voicing that was not something he was going to admit that to his oldest sibling.

Scott let out a soft snort. "It sort of IS my fault. I sort of… set things up when you both started to get distant with each other, especially after dad blurted it out to me that Gordon was adopted."

Both John and Gordon stared at him and Scott shrugged. "You never thought it was odd that dad and I didn't care you were sleeping with each other?"

"I, I don't know what to be more shocked about…" John's head was reeling as he looked at Gordon. "Did you know?"

Gordon shook his head though he probably should have suspected something since he and John were unnaturally close in age. "Did Virgil?

Scott shrugged. "Wouldn't have a clue. Though frankly I don't have a damn idea what was going on in his head."

"Why did he never tell us?" John felt they could have been saved from so much heartache if only they knew.

"Dad probably had his reasons."

Gordon drummed his fingers on his jeans. "I think Virgil knew." He looked up at Scott. "When he found those photos John and me did for fun, he threatened me with a knife accusing me of something horrible. More recently he was getting joy out of telling me I was nothing to anyone and that I should be happy that he was taking pitty on me." He balled his fists again. "I should have listened to Alan when he said something was wrong at your place when he was there, though he phrased it like Virgil had an alcohol problem."

Scott was taken aback. "Yeah that is weird. Virgil would go off at me for drinking all the time when I had leave. I'm starting to wish I was around more. Maybe I could have done something?"

"We'll probably never know" John let that hang in the air for a moment. "It still doesn't change our immediate problem."

Gordon continued to clench his hands on his jeans. He looked up to Virgil a great deal and while what he was doing to him was scary and vile a part of him was struggling with his misspent respect for him.

"I don't care. I can't help you."

He got up and wandered out of the room, his head a mess despite the fact that he should be relieved that all the tourture was over and they could bury him somewhere and make it look like an accident. Problem was Gordon had to a lesser degree murdered him and the shock that he had done so was barely sinking in the way that Virgil threating and putting, Alan, John and himself through hell was. 

He also felt responsible for all of it.

"I could throw him in the woodchipper and aim it towards Kyrano's garden." Scott said coldly. "Though I'd have to cut him up into pieces with an axe first. It's not like we own a chainsaw on the property.

"I don't even really care what we do with him, if it was up to me, I'd like it all to be laid bare everything he did, but I can't do that to dad." John sighed and winced from the pain the drawing in of breath caused him. "I wish I had done it. The guilt of feeling he is responsible is going to eat at Gordon."

"Probably not as much as me telling him point blank he was adopted." Scott winced. "Though to be fair, Dad said he and mum were afraid that after he spent so long in space they weren't able to have any more kids. They tried relentlessly and only found out they were having you the same year he was adopted." Scott seemed to look a bit amused. "You know, Tintin would have been adopted if anything had happened to Kyrano. His sickness does seem to be making him weaker and weaker. Just as well Alan wants to marry her instead."

"Well she will be one of the family now." He said, getting to his feet. "I should go talk to Gordon " 

John expected to find Gordon in his room; it was his safe haven, as he had seemed to spend a lot of time there ever since the house had been built.

"Gordon, are you there? Can I come in?" He called, knocking on the door.

After a few tries with no answer he opened the door and to his surprise, his 'brother' wasn't there. Before leaving as an afterthought he went towards the plant he recognised from the live camera feed from Virgil's laptop, shifting the huge orange and red philodendron out of the way and sure enough he found the little black lense of a spy camera nestled against the wall looking as if it was a nail in the spindly trellis that hung there for plants to climb.

There were probably more of them but unless he did a full sweep of the room he wasn't going to find them right now.

"What are you doing?"

John turned to see Gordon standing there, looking like he always did after a long day of peeling dead people out of wetsuits.

"Gordon I ahhh-" John closed his hand, hiding the camera. "Listen Gordon I don't want to lie to you, but believe me when I say this you really don't want to know."

"It's cool." Gordon's expression didn’t change. "Everything I know is a lie so why should anyone start telling me otherwise?" He turned and left John alone to do whatever the hell he was up to as he had truly had enough and just needed….

Actually, he didn't know WHAT he needed. Everything right now was a huge mess and he surprisingly wasn't panicking or getting upset over it. Maybe he could fish Virgil out the pool and own up to it, after all what was the worst that could happen in prison? You'd get a nice view of space from your cell block since they'd made one giant orbital one a century or so ago. The worst had already happened.

Glancing back into the bedroom he shrugged and wandered off towards the only place he felt safe on the island, where he grew all the plants that were growing in his room. No one ever stepped foot in there unless they needed to restock the fridge with vegetables so maybe doing something constructive might help him process things.

"Shit, Gordon, wait!" The last thing John wanted to do was lie to him anymore but would rather spare him from just how far Virgil went.

Broken ribs weren't making it easy to chase after him though but he managed to catch Gordon by the arm, and pull him towards him and into a kiss.

His sibling melted under it. "I love you Gordon, I'd never lie about that, look if you wanted to know everything I'll tell you."

"Is there an option where I can be wilfully ignorant?" Gordon managed to smile. "Don't feel you need to answer that. I maybe slow sometimes but you know that we're not stupid." 

He returned the kiss and playfully nuzzled John. "I love you too. I guess knowing we're not related beyond a piece of paper will make things interesting in future."

Gordon pulled back. "If you're happy to wait that long, that is."

"Wait? What do you mean?" John looked at him confused for a few moments. "You want to confess?"

"Yes. Afterall I did pull him into the pool. People would find out eventually."

"It was self-defence, he would have killed us if you hadn't done something."

Gordon kissed John on the forehead. "Well that would make the sentence shorter. Maybe they'll cut it down because of my good service record, maybe saying it was a mental breakdown. Have had a few of those you've missed out on. Though I wouldn't be able to set foot here again."

He smirked. "You'll sell all my plants, won't you? They'll die without me here. You look after the hydroponic ones on Five afterall and these might just become too much of a hassle on top of those. Besides the fish need way more care, those sea horses don't breed for me to release to the wild themselves now."

Gordon was surprised with how constricting John's hug was as he buried his head into his chest. "Hey, ease up! This isn't doing either of our injuries any favours."

"Why? Why when we could ditch the body somewhere and everything would be fine?"

"Because it won't be. It'll sit on my conscience and I don't think after everything I've seen and done since I got my first job would make me feel good about it. I've seen many people die; John, and while you were there to make everything right it's not going to work this time. I need time to think everything through. It's my turn to need some space but I wouldn't worry as if you'd still want me I'll come back."

John gripped him tighter. "Of course I'd want you back!"

"Then you have to let me go for a while. For my sake."

***

Despite the plea and all the evidence of self defence and a life dedicated to sacrifice, fifteen years in an orbital rehabilitation and correctional facility meant a lot of things had changed since Gordon had stepped foot back on Earth. Prison life hadn't been all that bad for him, though he had accumulated enough 'good boy' points to become one of the facility's most successful stories, even becoming a mentor towards those there for minor offences who were looking to change their lives around. Afterall it wasn't every day someone from International Rescue was behind bars and almost everyone knew his story from how incredibly high profile the case was.

It also gave him an incredible amount of time to process things.

A crew cut that made his dusty red hair darker, a body of scars now covered from the neck downwards in vibrant colourful tattoos of plants, fish, cephalopods and a large cutaway diagram of Thunderbird four down his back made him look incredibly different than the young twenty-three year old that had left escorted in handcuffs. Now Thirty-eight he seemed taller even though he hadn't grown and he was leaner than ever before, space life behind bars with minimal exercise making that unavoidable. Not that it would have made much difference as his more permanent injuries left him physically unfit for a majority of his time served.

Waiting for him was a very familiar motorcycle and an even more familiar face he was still surprised to see after all this time.

"My, haven't you changed." He smirked, walking over to give his 'adopted' brother a hug. "You look well, I see giving up smoking after Dad's lung cancer is doing you wonders."

"Well watching him go through treatment put things into perspective" John was still as pale and lean as he had always been though he'd grown his hair out, which he wore tied back along with that 'haven't shaved for a few days' look.

The tight blue leather he had on left little to the imagination even with a matching jacket that had a picture of a large carnivorous plant on the back from the movie 'Little Shop of Horrors' stitched onto the back.

"How are ya Gordon?"

"Ya? You've been around Alan too long." The smirk didn't fade but the intrigue lying within was evident as Gordon's eyes languished on John's tight pants more than necessary. As he walked up closer and got within range to be almost breathing in his neck he said quietly so the corrections officers who were offending him couldn’t hear, "Bold of you to go commando under these without getting caught in the zipper."

"Nice to know you're as sexually frustrated as I am. Do you want to make it to our destination first or make a stop on the way?" John teased playfully.

"John, if it wasn't for the audience, I'd take you here against your blasted bike." Gordon growled, pressing himself up against him so his tight and ill fitting jeans got the message across. "I'm glad you found it by the way. Missed seeing you ride."

"So you ARE implying we should -"

Gordon pulled John close and squeezed his brother's arse through the trousers and even though he was still shorter, he still held his mouth inches from the blondes, his amber eyes burning like hot flames. "I'd like to think I am implying a lot of things but while I'd like to have your arse riding my hips, right now I don't think this rodeo bull would last long without a meal that's not from a tube. These clothes are only tight as they're whatever the guards could find since the ones they took me away in hang off my body in ways you wouldn't believe."

He placed one of John's hands to his chest and let him feel how much his misshapen ribs stuck out under his fingers through the t-shirt. "If I gave you two sticks you'd probably be able to play a tune."

Before John could say anything he kissed him, his hand snaking around the younger Tracy's waist as he did so and gave his arse another playful grope. "You've gained a lot of solid mass too I see. Still doing rescues with Alan and Scotty? Can tell you've been working out." Gordon purred. "Maybe it'll be me riding you after all."

"I quit three years ago now, Alan before me. I've been living in Lake Macquarie since. Anyway if we stay here any longer we'll have to charge that guy for watching, we got three days to ourselves before your welcome back party, I tried to hold them off for a week but was a no go, so we can head back to the apartment or I can show you my surprise now?"

Gordon recoiled a little. "A party? No thank you. Leaving prison isn't anything to celebrate and besides, I can't handle that stuff anymore." He looked thoughtful. "So no living back by the beach in the top end huh? Never took you for a city slicker."

"I moved to the city for work, and it's more a family get together than a party, and once you see the surprise." John winks "You'll understand."

"We'll see. Personally I'd rather get on with things without any fuss." Gordon sighed. "I didn't spend fifteen years sorting my shit out to have it hit me all at once and unravel in one evening." He kissed John on the cheek. "Rather it just be us, I'm not ready to talk about things, especially with Da- Jeff. One person at a time." Gordon hesitated, as after such a long time he wasn't sure if he should be calling Jeff his father anymore.

"That's why I'm giving you an advanced warning." John handed Gordon a helmet. "Where to first?" 

Gordon tossed the helmet in his hands a bit and after a few moments thought he gently placed it on the back of the bike. Sure right now it was just them and the guards but memory is a cruel mistress and the fact his sentence was extremely high profile he knew the moment word got out he was free things would spiral out of control. Rehabilitation or not, they don't exactly educate you on how to deal with the three ring circus that the media was or give you any advice on how to talk to one of the richest and well known philanthropist on the planet when you've been locked away for killing his son and never revealing to anyone why you did it. Alan certainly didn't come forward at the trial which was expected and frankly both Scott and Gordon told John that it was better he didn't either, in case he ended up being put through as much hell as he had. Besides Alan had kids now didn't he? Gordon wasn't in any position to answer questions from them along the lines of 'So what's prison like' or 'What's it feel like to kill someone?' Or the dreaded, 'Are you going to kill someone else now you're free because that's what dangerous people do, right?'

Gordon right now only had the courage and confidence to be around John if his adopted brother wanted him - which he obviously did - any more than that until he adjusted and got things on track again was going to cause more anxiety than it was worth. Saying it was one thing but Gordon was finding getting John to understand was giving him trouble.

"Maybe you should head back without me and I'll get a taxi to a motel or something till the reunion is over." Gordon said carefully. "Or you can call them right now on your fancy holo watch and cancel it."

John looked at him confused so Gordon elaborated. "I've always gone along with everyone else's ideas or suggestions either willingly or reluctantly and taken their word for everything, even took responsibility when it wasn't mine to take." He stretched and rolled his shoulders. "For once I'm saying 'No'. No to situations that will cause problems I can't handle, not anymore." While he was talking, Gordon's foot had been scraping a line in the dirt between himself and the bike John had sat on as if he was trying to reassure himself that this was what he wanted - needed to get out into the open.

"Sorry if this ruins your surprise." He cleared his throat. "I know I'll have little say in anything towards my rights now I have a prison sentence on my records but my anxiety is the only thing I can control and I'd like that respected."

"No, no not at all. I'm sorry I pushed, I'm being an arse. I'll make that call now" John pushed a few buttons on his holo watch and it rang for a few before a familiar face - though greatly matured like fine wine - answered.

"Hey John, something happened? Get lost on the way?" Scott's voice cheerily sang as his holographic image flickered up.

"Oh you're hilarious and no, I'm calling to ask can we outright cancel everything on Saturday?"

"Huh? Why would we do that? We've got this big venue and everything is hired out, there's going to be photographers, Penelope said she's got a lot of old WASP people attending, it's going to be HUGE!"

Gordon recoiled, hell if his shirt had a hood he would have pulled it over his head and tried to hide.

"Whoo, wow really pulled all the stops out there…" John stumbled; he hadn't at all expected it was going to be a huge song and dance. "Well I ahhh spoke to Gordon and he wasn't ahhh keen on the whole idea…" He tried not to look in Gordon’s direction as he said, last Scott would know he was standing there.

The eyes of Scott's more refined looking hologram rested on John's companion. "AH so you DID make it there!" He squinted and as a sign of his age, pulled out a pair of glasses that made him look like a forty year old going through a major midlife crisis and looked surprised when he made the visual connection. "Woah…and hereI thought WASP changed you and International Rescue had… prison REALLY made you decide to go all out huh?"

Gordon visibility cringed. "C -Can we not talk about this? I just…. I don't want to be your circus animal ok? Please, call it off."

"But we hired a bouncy castle and an ice cream truck for the kids, not to mention all the balloons."

Gordon inhaled a deep breath. "Seriously?" He looked at John and held out his hand. "I'll take that taxi fare to Melbourne, thanks."

"Wait a minute before you go, KIDS come here for a minute!" Scott yells out.

"Oh no you wouldn't!" John could see just what was coming.

A little girl around five or six came into view Scott lifts her up onto his knee. "Hey Rachy I got some bad news."

Gordon's shoulders sagged. "You can still have the party, I just don't want to be present. Why is that so hard to understand?"

"Mmm." Scott makes a big thing of thinking about it. "You owe me one then."

"I don't think I owe anyone anything except maybe John. I did my time and well I'm not ready for any of this… it's too much." Gordon folded his arms, despite losing weight the tattoos made him look tougher than he used to be. "One thing at a time Scott. Give me that chance."

"Scott," John said, finally interjecting. "I don't want to say anything since a younger audience is present but… it's been fifteen years, we have a lot - A LOT of time to make up for." The last part being said with more aggression than he meant for it to.

Gordon looked at John in mild surprise. Maybe something he said did get through afterall. He looked back at the hologram." Just let me sort things out, Scott. I do want to see you all just have to get things on track a bit first."

Scott looked shocked but if it was from what John said or Gordon it was hard to tell. "Well… alright then… I'll smooth things out over this end, alright nice seeing you Gordon take care."

"Thank you. See you next time Scott." When the hologram flicked off Gordon leaned over and gave John a kiss. "Thank you. For backing me up." He picked up the helmet again and smirked. "So, what's this big 'surprise' you wanted to show me?"

"Surprise what surprise? Don't know what you're talking about it doesn't matter. Anyway since you're calling the shots you want to stay at a hotel? Or I can put you up if you like."

Gordon thought he heard some snark in John's tone."I've done something wrong? You'd rather I go to a celebration with half the people who never bothered to talk to me since my accident and the rest who don't want to acknowledge I was in jail?"

"Not at all, I'm proud of you for standing up for yourself, I'm not the best at sounding genuine when I truly I'm. I know what I'd really like to do if it was all up to me but it's your call now. What do you want, Gordon?"

"Well it's that or I have a nervous breakdown infront of a lot of people and that wouldn't be a good look." Gordon pinched the bridge of his nose. "I don't know anymore John I'm out of my depth here. I just wanted to see you and figure everything else out as I go along. I didn't exactly plan how my parole was going to go. This was a suprise to me as much as everyone else that they reduced my time."

He straightend up and put his hands in the tight pockets of his pants. "If it's not too much of an inconvenience to you though your place was probably where you had in mind to go after picking me up from here." Gordon said carefully. "If it is like I said I can always find a motel…." He let that sentence hang as he knew he didn't have any cash to his name and would probably be just as happy to rough it outdoors if he didn't have an alternative. It wouldn't be the first time he slept in the middle of nowhere. 

Gordon signed, freed his hands and touched John's fuzzy face as he pressed their foreheads together. "Why is this so weird John? It never used to be."

"It doesn't have to be," John said, taking Gordon in his arms. "How about you just come to my place for coffee and you can decide from there. Let's just get out of here first, what do you say?"

 

The trip along long winding roads and through various townships on the back of the bike was scenic but mostly uneventful as roads these days barely got used by land vehicles since more and more were becoming hovering and were using the new skyways. Gordon didn’t mind, it had been years since he and John rode out on the bike into the middle of the desert for fun and it felt a little bit like old times with the barren motorways.

Heading towards Sydney however was still as busy as ever, though John eventually pulled off skirting around the city and further up along the coast. It was nightfall when the motorcycle stopped on the outskirts of a small town called Catherine Hill Bay, a place that like Darwin hadn't seen much change, it was like stepping back in time to the late 60's a place where after a certain decade time just stopped affecting it.

Gordon swung himself off the bike and as he took off his helmet to look up at the building he was impressed. For a start it was a small building but two story and reminded him of the shack they used to have up in the top end.

"Renovating still?" He asked John as he looked at the old soda factory. "Must have alot of money these days, huh John?"

"It was closed down about twelve years ago" John replied as he dismounted his bike. "It wasn't that expensive since it had fallen into such disrepair, the renovations have cost more than the place itself, I'm a teacher at the university in Newcastle."

"Wow." Gordon really was impressed. "I'm beginning to think you've lost your mind wanting me back in your life. Sounds like you're pretty set. Probably got a nice boyfriend too. Do I get to meet them?" The thought hadn't actually occurred to him until now that John had probably well and truly moved on, had a family of his own…

John raised and eyebrow and looked smug. "You already have." He said, grabbing Gordon's hand to lead him towards the building. "Actually, I hope we can be more than that soon." 

"Oh? Well in that case, I saw a hotel back down near town -"

John pulled Gordon close and kissed him passionately on the lips. "Did you honesty for a minute think I actually had another lover?"

"The thought did occur to me a little late but yes?" Gordon admitted.

"Well it had crossed my mind and a few opportunities had presented themselves over the years I'll admit." John trailed a finger tip under Gordon's jaw. "But even when offered a one night stand I walked away from it. Shame, he was cute too." He teased, touching his fingers against Gordon's lips. 

"I stupidly threw you away once because I was an idiot who took you for granted and ran away like a coward, yet you still opened your heart to me when I or anyone else least deserved it….then I was told by you to let you go and I realised I couldn't, not again. Sure, everything has changed and moved on but one thing has stayed the same, growing more day by day in my heart."

John kissed Gordon again, holding him close and drawing the moment out.

"I don't want anyone else. There's only one boyfriend I'll ever truly want to be with till sands run dry from the hourglass of time."

"Hard to believe anyone would bother waiting for so long." Gordon breathed out and nuzzled John while untying his mess of blonde hair so the whispery strands framed his neck like a platinum mane.

"Well I thought that too and yet, some held out for two almost three years before I finally came around to my senses." John's smile widened as Gordon blushed. "Though I gather I'm not alone this time."

Gordon smirked. "Nope. I'd have still groped your arse and kissed you the way I did even if you had a new man standing there when you collected me. My feelings for you haven't changed despite how many times we've both put a wrench in the works." He reached around and felt up the back of John's tight leather trousers and let out a growl as his ex-sibling purred. "Though I think you'll find you might be getting the tougher deal here as I'm going to make up for more than fifteen years of lost time."

"As much as I liked being in control, I won't lie that I do miss those few times you showed me who was the real boss."

"Well what's the hold up?"

John chuckled. "Thought you'd never get there."

"Well as much as I'd like to pin you to the ground and go natural outside, it would be nice to do so in comfort because you'll find I'm not going to let up one bit the second you let me." Gordon kissed him down his neck before trailing his tongue all the way back up again. "If you're not waking up with me right in there every day for the rest of your life something will have had to go very wrong from here."

"I like the sound of that."

John didn’t even get to step inside the converted loft apartment to turn on the lights before Gordon had picked him up wrapping his legs around his waist to carry him over to the nearest moonlit illuminated seating area, despite stumbling onto the couch in the cutaway flooring though all that really did was pin John underneath at Gordon's utter mercy as the tattooed redhead was delft at undressing him while keeping their lips locked in the heat of desperate passion, occasionally tugging at Gordon's own clothing to get him to remove those too.

Sure, this first lustful and desperate encounter was fast and brief but by no means did Gordon let John bask in the afterglow, keeping to his word that he'd be making up for lost intimacy between them.

Despite how much Gordon had physically changed there was certainly one place he hadn't and everytime it touched the sweet spot John called his name loudly in ecstasy, arching his hips and back as his body begged for more. Gordon used to fill him tight before but now it was the perfect snug fit length and width and no matter where John was - underneath, infront, on his lap, against the wall - it was if Gordon had been missing from there all along .

John was also taken aback by his ex - brother's stamina, something he assumed would have become shorter with how skinny he now was. However it seemed to make him hold out much longer and that skinny frame? It was stronger, more compact more full of energy than it ever had been. The down side though was all the tattoos made his skin so dark that he had to look for the outline as the moonlight bounced off his figure. Unlike himself who practically glowed white in the light, his hair going silvery like a halo framing his face.

Gordon refused to let up. Whenever John had to take a breath, Gordon had shifted to kissing and nipping his neck and shoulders, occasionally John would feel teeth sinking in harder along with finger nails until the moment of intensity passed and playful exploring and massaging returned with maybe a change of position, John prefering to be on Gordon's lap looking down at him, watching him lavish attention upon his person. John had draped his leather jacket over the redheads shoulders, the picture of Audrey II the killer plant from Little shop of horrors illuminated by the light that filtered in from the large windows and skylight.

"G- Gordon… uhhh… ahhh…" John bit his lip as his lover took a bite into his side as another wave of intensity over came them, this time it didn't ease off as Gordon couldn't delay himself any longer. John felt warm inside and very slick as his lovers hips bucked giving every last thing he had into this last burst of energy.

As hands slid lazily and exhausted from his body, John cupped Gordon's face, kissing him over and over until he was nuzzled back with as much affection.

"Still got it in you." John chuckled.

"You bet. Maybe if we shift to the bed I could give you another four hours worth." Gordon grinned.

"For real? We got here at seven and it's now three in the morning! Aren't you worried about sleep?"

"Well how about a compromise, I'll let you sleep if you let me stay snug where I am with my arms wrapped around you tightly?"

John kissed Gordon lovingly. "Only a fool would say no to that."

As the warm mid-day sun filtered through the skylight and the large windows of the loft, John stirred, sitting up when he realised he was lying alone tucked in neatly under the sheets.

Scanning the loft he relaxed when his eye settled on a figure in front on the large windows standing naked and tending to the large collection of plants.

Gordon hadn't lied when he said he was covered from neck to ankles in tattoos. The only visible patches of skin were his head, hands and feet. As John walked across the floor of the loft he could see how intricate the designs were and how they were intentionally laid out to cover every inch of scars. Unlike John and Alan, Gordon had to live with lasting physical injuries from their tormentor and the only way to remove those reminders was to hide them under something else.

John snaked his hands around Gordon's naked torso as his lover spoke. "I can't believe you kept them."

"Well I had some help. Kyrano went through them all and realised you had been breeding them the old fashioned way and said many of them are so extremely rare that they are worth thousands if not millions of dollars. He only showed me how to care for them but beyond watering them I still get him to come and do all the messy stuff."

Gordon shrugged. "Well with tissue culture being so popular and people only wanting variegated plants these days many of the older common plants are vanishing." He grabbed a stem of a Dragon's tail and cut it as close to the base as he could. "It's sad really. These are far more beautiful. Though I think Kyrano is wrong about the price. Yes many are one of a kind - the ones with tags on the leaves - but they're not worth anything to anyone besides me."

Gordon proceeded to chop the stem into several leafed nodes and put them in a vase of water he had taken from the kitchen. He held it up so John could see. "That is now going to be fourteen new plants. Kyrano clearly didn't have the desire to propagate them I see."

"Well he did say if you ever did when you came back that he'd happily take a few."

"I'm sure he claimed some when you moved them here." Gordon snorted playfully. "I noticed several missing."

"Well he's not into selling them. Though that does beg the question if you're going to suddenly multiply them all now…. What are you going to do with the extras? I can't exactly keep them all here in the loft." John smiled. "You've probably noticed the loft is already a humid jungle with all of these plants just from your old bedroom."

"I had. Can't say I'm not enjoying it either." Gordon purred. "I guess I could take some of the extras and do the maintenance for you until I find a job. They're yours now anyway and I don't exactly have a home to have them myself, probably won't for a while. Not when I have to make a check in with a nearby police station parole officer every week. When people find that part out having a permanent residence might be difficult."

"So," Gordon said as he turned around, resting his hands on John's naked hips and murmured as long slender fingers traced the patterns of trees, plants and animals along his torso. "Were these your surprise? The fact you kept them all thriving and didn't sell them is definitely something I wasn't expecting."

John smiled. "You're so sure there is one… alright if you insist, check that bedside cabinet over there and meet me down stairs." He says giving him a kiss on the cheek to not be too long.

"In my birthday suit?" Gordon's smirk returned. "It's that or those clothes that fell apart in your hands as you yanked them off me last night."

"It's only us here but there's pants in the dresser if you want, don't be too long." John then headed off down a spiral staircase to the level below.

Left alone, Gordon put away the things he was using to tidy up John's plants before walking over to the cabinet and retrieving a hat box and frowned unsure why John would want to give him a hat for. It was pink and covered in soft velvet, something the old Gordon would have been all over knowing some sort of sexy outfit would be inside. Now though? There were too many memories associated with those things that he didn’t really want to have anymore. He couldn't tell John that though.

Without opening the box he tucked it under his arm, reconsidered wearing any pants and headed down the staircase.

"So what's down here you want to show me?" Gordon asked, coughing as his bare feet kicked up dust. "Oh, is this the thing you were talking about?" He held up the unopened box.

John held his arms out wide. "What do you think of all this space? Maybe you can do something with it, ahhh you found it." He took the box from Gordon. "Adding to what I said last night our lives were interrupted fifteen years ago and I don't want to waste another minute of it without you." He got down on one knee and held the box up to Gordon.

Gordon went red as his eyes widened in surprise, the scars while faded still came up pink like a skeleton's fingers when he blushed. "Ummm John? Why are you saying all….that stuff." His voice slowed and dwindled out when his brain finally made the connection. "Wait…. are you sure?" He stammered the shock not quite sinking in. "John…" Gordon placed both hands under his chin before kissing him passionately. "You only had to ask, though the only thing missing is the ribbon around your naked waist."

John smiled "Gordon would you do me the honour of becoming my princess bride?" He passed the box back to Gordon to open, inside was a white gold tiara plated with diamonds and five large teal blue sapphires.

Gordon took the tiara out carefully while smiling and placed it on John's head, his long platinum hair off setting it beautifully. "I'd rather be your knight in shining armour if that's alright with you. Besides, it suits you far more than me." He kissed him again, long and lingering, fingers caressing John's skin as he pulled him close and whispered in his ear. "The answer is still yes, you pretty star boy. You're the angel here, especially after last night. One that I don't deserve but intend to keep."

John lifted Gordon in his hands and spun them around laughing happily, before kissing him long and lingering. "Now we can have the life we only dreamed of, and I'll do everything I can to make you happy, I promise"

Gordon laughed. "I think it's me who owes you on that score. So what did you have in mind for this space?"

"Well I was thinking of having a small garage built for my bike." John points to the roller door on one side. "And the rest? Well you have a lot of plants that could be moved down here, maybe even sell some in a shop if you like."

"Hmmm." Gordon mulled it over. "There's not alot of light coming in from those windows. Maybe if we strip whatever that rubbish us off them…. Yeah I could see myself using this space. You sure though? They're not cheap to keep, water alone can cost thousands just to set up a recycler."

"We can get a bank loan. I know you will be successful and we have plenty to work out the details."

"Yeah we'll see about that with the bank. Probably get funny looks if I go into a hydroponics store too. Trying to set the one in the island was fun, the bloke thought I was producing Weed on mass. He was greatly disappointed when I showed him what we were actually doing. We'll have it working, I mean I built one in a fucking cave so a factory wouldn't be too hard." Gordon grinned. "Let's get a fish tank too, like a BIG ONE." 

John smiled seeing Gordon so excited about something he was truly passionate about, he walked up behind and put his arms around him. "Anything you want." he said as he started kissing along Gordon's neck, his turning to other things.

"Really? In that case -"

Gordon scooped John up into his arms and started to head for the stairs. "Right now I want you in bed with me…. Then the shower, then the couch and bent over the kitchen bench."

"I love you Gordon. " John said as Gordon lay him on the bed, he put the tiara on the nightstand. "Dare me to wear it to work?" John playfully joked as he pulled Gordon down on top of him.

"Could have kept wearing it now to be honest." Gordon chuckled "But up to you. I'll have you whatever way you want to come." He winked devilishly kissing John and teasing his legs. "Hopefully over and over."

"It'll be my pleasure."