Hello? It's me...

[thewolfdude]

(Oh dear God, I quoted an Adele song...)

[Though the last year had been an eventful one, Kevin still wasn't questioning his decision to leave, though it did make the nights lonely. Spending 20 years that close to the only family you had left only to all start going their separate ways all at once would do that to a guy.

It's been 6 months since he'd spoken with Chase, and if he was honest with himself, it was a miracle they'd lasted that long. After Dahlia had rolled into town, he knew it was time to move on. He was still sad Cat had decided to stay behind with Chase rather than come with him, but he also knew she was the most confused of all of them. To say she'd had a weird childhood, even for a werewolf, was the understatement of the century.

He and Toby had done their best to make sure she had some sense of normalcy, but there was only so much they could do.

He'd wandered around a lot after leaving Ohio behind, not really sure where to head, but knowing he didn't want to leave the north. He just preferred the weather. The idea of going back to New York never crossed his mind, at least not to stay. He couldn't, with with all the scents and urges warring in his mind. At his heart, Kevin was a simple guy, so the little town of Grand Marais, MN ended up being the best place he found.

It wasn't until falling into the monotony of getting up, patrolling town, which just looked like going for a walk to all the humans in town, going to work, and going home, that he really started to get homesick. He hadn't really felt like he was at home in any place for the last 20 years. Grand Marais wasn't even feeling like home after three months there, but his family. That was home. He missed them.

He'd let too much time passed. Eventually, he decides just to see if Toby still has the same number. It's long distance, but he doesn't care. He just wants to talk to his big brother, and let him know what's been going on.]

Comments

[nofortunateone]

[It's more than just a surprise to hear the phone on his nightstand ring. He keeps it on him and charged even though there are only five people who have the number. Cas looks at him and he shrugs reaching for his phone and reading the number listed on the glowing screen.

Before answering he shifts so that he's sitting, one leg hanging off the edge of the bed while the other lays out in front of him. He moves Cas a little closer, his free hand lightly stroking her hair as he flicks the old flip phone open.]

Kevin?

[His voice is a little more gruff than he means it to be but he has no idea if his brothers in trouble or if this is something else. He figures he'd give his brother a change to tell him.]

[thewolfdude]

One, chill. The city's not on fire. At least not this one.

[Toby would hear the relief in his voice, though it doesn't sound worried. More like a tension was relieved.]

Sorry it took so long to call.

[Cas settling against Toby as he pulled her closer, her curiosity urging her to listen. Toby wasn't trying to hide the conversation, either which was a comfort.]

[nofortunateone]

[Toby feels his lips curl into an involuntary smile. One that only his family and now Cas could cause. It is nice to hear his brothers voice.]

You should be sorry.

[His voice is firm before lightening some.]

Cat said you and Chase argued. [Toby isn't surprised.]

Where are you now?

[thewolfdude]

[At his side, Cas smiles too, because there aren't many things that make Toby smile, and she's always happy when they do.

On the other end of the line, Kevin chuckles.]

Yeah, yeah. Give me the 5th degree later.

[And a pause.] If the sun's up, or set. Pretty much, yeah. You heard from her?

And I'm in a sleepy little town nobody's ever heard of. Grand Marais, Minnesota.

[nofortunateone]

[Toby wants to make more than a few comments about Minnesota but he stops himself. He'd rather find out what Kevin's been up too.]

Cat's here.

[His fingers continue running through Cas's hair as he spoke.]

Apparently Chase's mate didn't much care for her. [Toby's sure that Gus and Kelsey would send the girls out on their own to find a mate; however they've technically been on their own for most of their lives. Even if it's just a little bit, they deserve to stay at home with their parents.]

I'll remember it and find a chance to visit, how are you?

[thewolfdude]

[Cas moves her head into his touch sub-consciously, because getting petted is always nice.]

Cat came back, huh? [And he chuckles at his own pun.]

Good. Chase's mate's a bitch. I didn't last a week.

[And he smiles, even though there's no way for his brother to see it.] That'd be cool, and I'm good. Cold. It's really cold here, but I like it.

How've you been. Staying there couldn't have been easy.

[nofortunateone]

[Toby is silent for a moment piecing together his thoughts before speaking. It's something he does often so he knows that Kevin wouldn't mind, though given his brothers nature to talk he wouldn't keep the silence for too long; lest Kevin seek to fill it.]

Yeah. I might go judge that myself too.

[Not that he's Chase's father but he feels that way most of the time.]

It wasn't. [He admits, using past tense.] but I couldn't leave. [You can hear the shrug in his voice.]

[Kevin is very aware of the reasons that Toby stayed. While his position in their little band of wolves is now dissolved he wouldn't leave his sisters here without him. It helped, at the time, and Toby will do anything for his family. Even put himself into this sort of situation.]

I've found a mate.

[His fingers gently glide through Cas's hair waiting for either surprise, shock or awe from his younger brother. Perhaps dismay at learning that his brothers are now all mated however it isn't the sort of thing to be kept a secret. Nor does Toby want to hide Cas from his family.]

[thewolfdude]

Good luck with that, Toby. [And his voice is sincere. If anything, Chase got more rash and defensive after he mated with Dahlia. He never did know what to do with instincts.]

I know. Sorry I couldn't tough it out with you. There was just...too much, you know? Nothing made sense.

[And after that last statement, Kevin says nothing for almost 45 seconds. It doesn't seem like a long time, but this is also Kevin we're talking about.]

[Cas tenses when he mentions her, and she holds her breath as though she's expecting the worst. Toby loves his family more than anything. What if Kevin doesn't accept her? It wouldn't matter, what was done was done, but it could make things tough for Toby, and the last thing she ever wanted to be was a burden on him. He had enough of those.]

A mate? You?

[Harsh, but it's spoken in a teasing way, like they used to give each other a hard time about missing the ball, or talking to a girl at school.]

Is she hot? [A joke, and it's said in the tone of voice he always jokes. He'd never challenge Toby. He'd challenge Chase in a heartbeat if he could stand Dahlia for five minutes, but never Toby.]

[nofortunateone]

[Toby feels it’s his responsibility to see Chase and check on his brother. He knows how Chase can be and now that he’s mated he’ll at least have an advantage while talking to him. Instincts are something that Toby is well acquainted with.]

I understand why you left. I don’t blame you. [He blames Chase for taking Cat with him and then not taking care of her.]

[Toby feels Cas’s tension and looks down at her with a smile. His hand lightly pushes her hair from her face before resuming his petting.]

Yes, you don’t have to sound surprised.

[He replies with a soft laugh pulling Cas closer with the one arm draped around her. He isn’t sure what he’d do without her, even though they’ve only been mated for a month or so.]

[thewolfdude]

And I get why you stayed. [Because it's you, and you're stronger than us.]

...of course I'm surprised. How many females have you turned down now?

[Cas' eyes narrow, and she tilts herself to the side, looking at the phone as though it were actually Ken. She was going to say something, hello, something, but now she was more curious than anything.]

[nofortunateone]

[Toby can't help but smile fondly. He heard every word that Kevin didn't say as if their time apart meant nothing. Unlike Chase, he's able to have logical conversations with Kevin which set his youngest brother apart in ways that the other probably doesn't realize. Everyone of his siblings helped him survive, he's only strong because he has them in his life.]

I'm not one to keep count Kevin.

[He can feel Cas's curiosity stir next to him. She's always been like that and he has a feeling that meeting Kevin might reveal more about himself than she'd expect. He smiles down at her and then lightly presses his finger to her lips to signal that she shouldn't say anything just yet.

He doesn't want to embarrass his brother.]

I'm more interested in what you've been up too.

[He knows that his brother claimed a territory but he doesn't know what he does in his day to day life and one thing they all excelled at was acting human. It's something they took away from their parents.]

[thewolfdude]

[Cas smiled up at him, but gave him a gentle not to say she understood.]

Of course you're not. [And Kevin chuckles, shaking his head, though his older sibling wasn't able to see that. Toby knows Kevin well enough to imagine what he's doing, anyway.]

Uh, travelling, mostly. I went back east after I left Chase in Ohio first. I...guess I let my curiosity get the better of me. [He pauses.] I went home. Obviously I didn't stay.

[nofortunateone]

[Toby smiles at Cas and then continues to lightly pet her head. He doesn't know how long him and Kevin will talk but he doesn't want to interrupt his brother. When he mentions their home Toby pauses, his fingers laced between her hair, his back tensing uncomfortably at the memory.]

Obviously.

[He replies trying his best to keep his tone light.]

What did you find?

[Toby hasn't been back home and he doesn't know if he can go back. He regretted everything that happened before they were kidnapped and he's yet to talk to his father about it. It's been difficult, not that he's mated he probably can but he hasn't had the time or inclination too.]

[thewolfdude]

[At his change in posture, Cas nuzzles into his chest comfortingly, looking up at him reassuringly.]

[Kevin keeps the tone light, knowing if left to his own devices, his older brother will sink into a depression.]

My old comics were still under my bed. Nobody's looted the place. Rumor around town is our land's haunted. [A beat.] And get this: there's a ghost story about the place. [Leave it to Kevin to ask questions around town and not raise suspicion. He did it for nearly 20 years, after all.] They say that, after the family that lived there mysteriously disappeared, hikers and campers who stayed in the campgrounds nearby would go missing sometimes. A year went by like that, then the disappearances mysteriously stopped. Nobody goes up there if they know what's good for them.

[nofortunateone]

[They both appear to know Toby well which brings the smallest twitch of a smile to his lips.]

Sounds like something changed.

[He pauses and inhales.]

What state is the house in?

[Toby wonders if he even wants to get his things or just forget that life and live the one he has now.]

[thewolfdude]

Yeah, sounds like it.

[But what was it, that was the question.]

...downstairs is pretty wrecked. Somebody with a lot of strength and claws did a number on the place. Upstairs in untouched, though.

[And By the sound of it, Kevin has a pretty good idea who.]

I grabbed some of your stuff, too...if you want it. You know, when you stop by.

[nofortunateone]

[Toby's fingers pinch a strand of Cas's hair, gently rubbing the silky tendrils between his fingertips.

He knows exactly who wrecked the first floor and why.]

What of mine did you grab?

[He's still conflicted.]

[thewolfdude]

[Cas starts moving her hand in slow circles against his abdomen, petting him right back. This was a lot harder for him than it was for her.]

Uh...your trophies, mostly. And your Letterman.

[nofortunateone]

[Toby is grateful for Cas's comfort, his large hand coming to rest on her shoulder as she moved.]

That's what you choose to pick up?

[Interesting choice.]

[thewolfdude]

I know it was a while ago, bro, but do you remember what you did the last time I tried to go through your stuff?

[OOC: And feel free to make up whatever that might have been >.>]

Besides, it's not like I have a truck or anything.

[Cas, at Toby's side, is content to continue providing comfort. That, and she's interested in what did happen. This is what normal family relationships are like, huh? It's...really cute.]

[nofortunateone]

[Toby's lips twitch at the corner.]

I almost threw you out my window. [The window was closed at the time. He'd been fine though, werewolves heal quickly.]

You didn't take anything else?

[He almost sounds skeptical.]

[thewolfdude]

Yep. Scarred me for life, man.

[Cas pinches her lips together to stifle a laugh. She has no idea what Kevin looks like, but the mental image is still funny.]

...I raided your Shrine to All Things Football. The focal point of your altar is safe with me.

[nofortunateone]

[Toby's lips form a thin line as if unsure how to feel. His fingers begin to trail lightly over the smooth skin of Cas's back while he allowed for silence to fall over the line.]

I am surprised that's still there.

[Though his tone doesn't imply it.]

Keep it. It'll bring you more luck than it did me.

[thewolfdude]

Are you really?

[And Kevin scoffs.]

Don't do that, bro. You always loved this ball.

[nofortunateone]

[Toby shrugs and this time he doesn't put a voice to it. He really doesn't know if he wants anything from his past life. It feels like his time playing football is a world away. He doesn't think he'd be able to pick it up so easily.]

It's in the past.

[He'll leave it at that.]

So where do you work?

[Toby knows that he has to have a job and he'd be disappointed to hear if Kevin is at a dinner.]