[2er RPG] The Shepherd [ENG]

Dylan showed a natural talent for self-defense. That meant Marcus had to watch him closely. He saw things, he was a fast learner and he was good with the fists. The boy was definitely the newest member of this family.
Kyle wasn't bad himself. He struggled a bit with his balance when he tried the kicks but all in all he made a decent fighter.
"Dinner's ready!", the three heard through the garden.
Marcus didn't even notice the time passing. Strange, since he always registered everything.
"Clean your hands!", he yelled after the boys rushing into the house.
He first cleaned up the mess in the garden but instead throwing everything back into the shed, he put the stuff on the garden table. He was pretty sure that Logan would wanna have his revenge.
Marcus himself washed his hands in the kitchen sink before sitting down at the dinner table.
"You gotta shower before you go to bed, buddy", he said to Dylan, "you should, too, Kyle."
Right before he sat down, he leaned over to Logan, thanking him for cooking and kissing him on the cheek.
"Dad! That's gross!", Dylan laughed.
"Why?", Marcus asked jokingly.
"Because kissing is gross", answered the boy.
"Wait a few years and you find out it's a great thing", Marcus replied.
"Never!", the boys said in unison.

Logan smiled and shook his head, he liked cooking, although he wasn't all to good at it. Everyone could get some pasta out of the pot, it was more than enough for all for of them, they could eat from it the next day too. The boys got their food first and seemed really hungry. Maybe they didn't notice outside, but now they did. Logan picked up Marcus plate to give him some too, before getting something for himself. They seemed like a pretty normal family just now.
He chuckled at their kissing argument, but everything was said. Then they ate almost quietly, for the boys had no time speaking with their mouths constantly full.
After finishing their meals they both hung in their chairs, full. They started talking again about some cartoon and Logan smiled in Marcus direction. He almost forgot about his argument with his mother again.
"Can I come over sometime again?", Kyle asked out of the blue.
"Yes can he?"
"Sure, if your parents are okay with it, you can visit us again sometime.", Logan replied smiling. Marcus seemed like he had fun too and his mind had wondered off while training with them. Logan asked himself if Marcus would allow Dylan to visit Kyle sometime too, but didn't say anything. Instead he looked at the watch in the kitchen.
"Kyle we should get you home soon, we don't want to be late. I'll drive you.", Logan stated slowly getting up.
"Already?", Dylan asked a little bit disappointed, but he understood. Kyle grabbed his stuff and Logan made sure he didn't forget anything. Then he left with him, driving him home. He didn't live far away, with the car it only took about 10 minutes. Marcus and Dylan stayed at home.

Dylan helped his father clean up the kitchen and afterwards Marcus send the boy upstairs for a quick shower. He put his pjs on and came back down to sit with his father and watch some cartoons.
"You like Kyle?", Marcus asked.
Dylan nodded: "Jup. He's the guy who showed me around at school when I moved here. He's pretty cool."
"Yeah, I saw that."
Marcus wrapped his arm around his son and together they watched an episode of Power Rangers Dylan had on DVD. When Logan came back, the multi-colored superheroes just summond their robots to fight an evil monster.
After the episode, in which the heroes defeated the monster and saved the city as usual, Marcus send Dylan ulstairs to get ready for bed.
"Be right back", he said to Logan and followed the boy.
They had a set bedtime routine, like Dylan had demanded from the first day on. Together hey first checked that the attic door right in front of Dylans room was closed. Than they searched the closet. Dylan then hopped into bed while Marcus was checking underneath. Last, Marcus made sure that the window was closed. After all that, Marcus sat down next to the boy and they read a comic together. Today it was Batman.
"Okay. You know the drill: when you get up, you come over. We're downstairs for a little while now. So if you can't find us in the master bedroom, we're probably in the living room."
Dylan nodded and hugged his little dog plushie. All this looking in the corners was not to make sure that there were no monsters, sadly. Dylan wasn't scared of his imagination. He was scared of the reality that killed his mother. He specifically said in that first night, that Marcus should look if there were bad guys.
"Sleep tight, little one."
"See ya when the sun's up."
Marcus kissed his son on the forehead - now it wasn't gross apparently - and left the room. He didn't close the door. Again, there were no closed doors inside this household.
Downstairs again, Marcus sighed and stretched his neck like he always did after sending Dylan to sleep as if he was glad that they made it through another day without anything bad happening.

When Logan came back he sat with Marcus and Dylan and watched Power Rangers with them. Afterwards he said the boy good night and waited downstairs.
Marcus came back after a while, it always took about 15 to 30 minutes for him to bring Dylan to bed. He seemed relieved, like always. "Well, that was a rather normal day. We've met Dylans friend, they played together, we watched TV.", he summed up and smiled. "Kyles parents told me he always talks about Dylan at home. They spend a lot of time together in school apparently. They said we could bring him over too sometime, but don't stress yourself." Marcus stretched his arms a little bit. "You meany... embarrassing me infront of those boys... don't think you've won, I just didn't want to hurt you when they were watching." He stated, but grinned. "You know I want a rematch, right?"

"Ehy is it that I haven't cleaned up the garden, hm?", Marcus answered with a grin, already on his way outside.
But he didn't but on the cushions. He put on some gloves himself.
"Only punches or everything?", he asked while kicking of his shoes.
He himself was big in Martial Arts and could pull of a bunch of tricks. Before Dylan happend, Logan an him considered this a date, cause Marcus was always working. The punched the hell out of each other and then they would eat fast food or something before Logan went home and Marcus said he would do some work. Which he did since he could really sleep and even if he slept, it was in his office. The futon still existed, banned into a corner all rolled up and tucked in to make room for the new couch, he never used because he wasn't allowed back yet.

Logan smiled and followed Marcus outside, putting on some gloves himself. "I guess we still should try to be quiet, we don't want to wake Dylan, do we?" He warmed up his muscles and joints a little bit, especially his wrists and fingers. "Everything of course... what a stupid question.", he grinned and readied himself. When Marcus was ready too, he immediately attacked, but he knew he couldn't surprise Marcus. When he attacked he didn't plan anything, something like that wouldn't work against him. Marcus would have known before Logan even started executing his plan. And he himself couldn't read Marcus, he always was fast and he never showed what he was going to do. It was like Marcus could control every muscles in his body, not moving an inch in a direction he didn't want to, only when he launched an attack you could see were it would go. Logan had to be quick as hell and when he landed a hit, he knew there was a punch following from somewhere unexpected. Hitting Marcus only happened when he wanted Logan to hit him.

Fighting with Logan was a completely different thing than fighting in a real situation. Logan moved instinctively, with reflexes like an animal. Whoever trained him did it very well. Marcus learned everything on the streets and on tv. Only his amazing memory made him this good. That, and his overworking brain. Seeing everything saved Marcus' life a bunch of times in situations like that. But Logan didn't think as much as he reacted, which was harder to predict. They were complete opposites. Marcus thought his way through a fight, Logan reacted his way through.
Marcus blocked a kick with his left arm and grabbed Logans ankle with his right, throwing him over his shoulder. He was thinking, yes. But there was a lot of emotion behind every move. He didn't notice how angry he was until Logan had landed a hit on his shoulder. He snapped. As soon as Logan hit the ground, Marcus had to walk away, to not make this a real fight. He barely held on to his manners, walking up and down, up and down in front of the glass door. And then his fist landed against the wall. Another punch followed. And another one. He hit the stone over and over and over again until he was to exhausted from his own emotions. He sank down to his knees, resting his head against the stone wall, wheezing, bleeding. Even though he wore gloves, he bruised some of his knuckles. The blood soaked the gloves, but Marcus didn't care.

Logan wasn't thinking, he forgot about Dylan upstairs and about his mother. But other than Marcus it helped him get his temper under control and letting him forget about his anger. He loved fighting and he hadn't done it in a while. But he felt Marcus slowly loosing control, underestimating the situation until it was too late. He grabbed him and threw him over his shoulder, but their was no follow up attack, instead Logan landed on the ground, gasping for air for a moment. When he got up he realized how fed up Marcus was, how he was struggling with his feelings, his emotions. Logan walked up to him, he wanted to interfere but hesitated. He knew Marcus walked away for a reason. When he sank to the floor, Logan kneed behind him, wrapping his arms around him and holding him tight. He didn't care if this was over for Marcus or not, he didn't care if he snapped at him or not, he could take it. He just held him, not saying a word. Asking him what was wrong didn't matter, it would have been easier asking him what was okay. He just wanted to be here for him, not leaving him alone and holding him, even taking a punch or an insult if it would ease Marcus mind.
He cursed himself for not looking out for him, not getting what was going on. Logan had preferred Marcus hitting him instead of the wall, it had hurt less.

At first, Marcus tensed when he felt the arms wrapping around his body. He wanted to fight back, to escape, but Logan just held him tight, preventing this. It was exactly what he needed. It calmed him down. At last, he could relax and leaned his head back against Logans shoulder. He was just so exhausted. Even breathing was difficult.
"I'm sorry", he said after a while, "I don't wanna make it all about me all the time..."
He hated to be vulnerable. Usually that's when the bad things happened. When he felt safe and let his guard down. He wasn't allowed to relax. He wasn't allowed to take a break. Not if he wanted to keep Dylan save. To keep Logan save.
"I'm sorry...", Marcus mumbled, tired, defeated.

"Hush... don't be sorry.", Logan softly whispered, still holding him as tight as possible. "You're not making it about you... and even if, I don't care. I know you, I'll stay by your side, as you stay by mine, no matter what. As you said a few hours ago." He relaxed a little bit himself, resting his head on Marcus shoulder. "It's not like you ever lied to me. I know almost everything there is to know about you, and I'm okay with it. I'm okay with your past, with how you are, I love how you are and I don't want you to change. Not for me, not for anybody." His heart grew heavier for a moment, he didn't want Marcus to feel like he did now. A sadness grew inside him, because he couldn't do much to help him, except being here. But sometimes that wasn't enough. He pressed Marcus against his body, he read sometime that this had a psychological effect of calming people down. But he didn't care if it was scientific or whatever, Marcus calmed down already a bit and it always seemed to work a little. But he didn't know what else he could do... except finding what was troubling his boyfriend. He swore himself he would find his father and then his brother, taking both down together to finally letting Marcus have some peace.

Marcus needed a long moment till he trustet his body again. He was glad, that Logan didn't let go of him. He needed this right now. Needed him.
He slowly got back up with Logans help. He couldn't bring himself to let go and stand on his own, even though his legs seemed sturdy. Right now all Marcus was feeling was this heavy sleepiness holding him tighter as Logan did. He just wanted to sleep. But he knew as soon as he closed his eyes there would be everyone he couldn't save. A perfect memory might come in handy while learning something, but it was a curse in a profession like this. He never forgot a face, dead or alive. And the dead ones haunted him.
He leaned agains the wall he just fought to death and slowly got out of the gloves. His knuckles burned while doing this. Looking over, all of them were red and a bit swollen two on his left and three on his right hand were actually bleeding.

"Come with me.", Logan said when Marcus was on his feet again and led him inside. He went to the kitchen, opened the freezer and fetched some frozen peas. Then he pressed them on Marcus knuckles, before leading him upstairs into the bathroom. There he sat him on the bathtub edge, letting him press the cold peas on his hands by himself. Logan closed the door, so they wouldn't wake Dylan and then went for the bathroom cabinet. He grabbed some disinfectant and bandaging material, before sitting next to his boyfriend.
"Show me.", he demanded, waiting für Marcus to stretch out one of his arms. Logan grabbed a swab and put some disinfectant on it, before slowly cleaning the open wounds. It sure burned, but it had to be done. When he was finished he dressed the wound with the elastic bandages and asked for Marcus other hand to do the same.

The burning of the disinfectant cleared his mind. It was almost scary how pain could do that. Marcus watched Logans every move to have something to focus on. Dylan would ask what happend, flashed through his head but he was to tired to think of an excuse.
After Logan was done patching him back up, he stood up and slowly made his was over to the bedroom. He knew he should sleep so his way led him to the bed where he sat down and reached inside a drawer. He was not a fan of this, but Dr. Rosemary prescribed him some pills. He'd only took him once and slept like a baby for more than eight hours. She'd said that he should take 'em every night but he didn't. But he was so tired... he swallowed the pill without hesitation. In five to ten minutes he would finally get some rest. Barely enough time to get out of his clothes, into the bed and apologize once more for being such an asshole. When the darkness sat in, Marcus was reliefed and frightened at the same time. What if he could never sleep on his own again?, he asked himself before falling asleep.

Logan followed Marcus into the bedroom and put his clothes away, so he could lie down right away. He apologized again, Logan only shook his head. They laid down together and Logan wrapped his arms around Marcus again. His boyfriend was asleep in a few minutes, Logan watched him for some time, before he closed his eyes too.

In the morning Logan woke up when he heard a short knocking on their door. Marcus was still asleep, not even waking up from the noise. Logan slowly stood up and greeted Dylan by the door. "Morning Buddy.", he smiled and kneeled before him. "Daddy's still asleep, how about letting him rest for a bit longer? You wanna lie down with us? Or do you want to go downstairs?" Logan whispered so he wouldn't wake Marcus. He knew it broke Dylans routine, he couldn't let Marcus know about his latest dream, but his boyfriend needed the rest.
"Is Daddy sick?", Dylan asked and Logan shook his head. "No no, don't worry. He's just tired. You know, from all the training yesterday?" Dylan nodded smiling and understanding, then he walked around Logan, who watched him tiptoe to his fathers bedside. Next to him he put his plush dog beside him, as if it should protect him while sleeping, then he came back to Logan. "Let's go downstairs so he can rest.", Dylan smiled and Logan pat his head. He was proud of Dylan and went with him downstairs.
In the kitchen Dylan pressed the buttons on the coffee machine to make his father a cup. "Okay, you think we can manage the pancakes together? I've no idea how your father makes them.", Logan smiled getting what he thought he needed. Dylan proudly sat down across from Logan and nodded. "I always watch him, I know every step!", he grinned and started telling Logan what to do. The first pancake turned out a little weird and Dylan laughed, putting it away to show it to his father later. But Logan soon got the hang of it and together they made breakfast.
"Can I bring Daddy his food to the bed?", Dylan asked and Logan nodded smiling. "Sure." He got a small tray and put pancakes and coffee on it. Then he gave it to Dylan slowly. "Be careful, it's heavy. And no running, okay?" "Okay!" Dylan took the tablet and slowly walked upstairs with it to surprise his father. Logan cleaned up the kitchen meanwhile.

Hours passed by, Marcus wasn't even really moving. The pills really knocked him out.
"Dad. Daaaaaad", he heard a soft voice.
He had to fight his way to conscious and opening his eyes required all his energy. But he did it and looked right into his sons face. Dylan smiled and jumped up on his feet.
"Logan and I made breakfast!", he proudly announced.
Marcus forced himself to sit up. Dylan gave him the coffee mug.
"Thank you. You made pancakes?"
Dylan nodded and showed his dad the strange abomination that apparently was their first attempt. Marcus chuckled.
"You alright?", Dylan asked.
"Yeah. Just tired. I thought, I work on my zombie face a bit."
"Well... didn't really work."
Marcus pulled Dylan into the bed and started to tickle the boy.
"I'm working on it!", Marcus defended himself.
Shortly after, they sat together and shared the pancakes. He should really teach Logan how to do them. They were okay but... just okay.
While they had breakfast in the big bed, Dylan told his dad about his dream as he always did. Afterwards he send the boy back in his room to get dressed. He himself brought the stuff back in the kitchen and made himslef another coffee.
"We gotta work on those pancaces, buddy", he greated Logan, before hugging and kissing him, followed by yet another apology for yesterday.
He was better now, so much better. Eight hours of sleep worked a miracle on him.

Logan made quite a mess and it took him some time to clean it up. Marcus came down right when he was finished. "Don't apologize all the time, and when you do, you should apologize to the wall outside, not to me. Nothing happened between us, so everything's alright." Logan replied shaking his head. "I would have preferred you had hit me though. I'm much more soft and you wouldn't have ruined your hands. Does it still hurt?" Logan took the dishes Marcus just brought and put them in the dishwasher to the others, before switching it on. Then he turned around, taking Marcus hands and looking at them.

"They're fine. I'm surprised Dylan didn't ask about the bandages."
Speaking of the devil, the boy came back down, jumping over the last two steps.
"Don't kiss again!", he demanded.
Marcus chuckled.
"What if we do?", he asked and kissed Logan.
Dylan turned around, covering his eyes with both hands and screaming: "Eeww! You're gross!"
Marcus spent another moment close to Logan, then he let go of him, grabbed Dylan and sat the boy on his shoulder.
"I'm gonna drive you today", he said and grabbed his sons backpack.
"Say bye Logan."
"Bye Logan."
They somehow managed to get through the door and to the typical black SUV. He allowed Dylan to sit in the front, his backpack on his lap.

After bringing Dylan to school, Marcus send Logan a message. He had to pick up some stuff and didn't know if he'd be back before his weekly appointment with Dr. Rosemary. How convenient.

He picked up everything he needed and was right with not making it back home. So he went directly to Dr. Rosemarys office. She was the official psychological assistance for agents of the Shepherd Organization. She also took care of Dylan but declared that he was fine for now and that Logan and Marcus should have an eye in him and what are the red flags they had to watch out for. Marcus was her patient since a few months before all this happened. Michael had send him to her, after he found out about the headaches and the lack of sleep. Which was right after Michael told him about his brother. Objectively speaking he was right with not saying who his father is. But after Dylans mother he had no other choice, only adding to Marcus' problems.
Marcus sat in the car for a few minutes, fighting the thought to reach for a cigarette. Instead he got out and shoved a gum.inside his mouth before entering the office of Dr. Rosemary.

Marcus spend one hour two times a week at this office, while Dylan was in school. Of course she wanted to know about the bandages. And Marcus told her. She was one out of a handfull of people he trustet without hesitation. Maybe because he saved her from his brother. He didn't know.
After the session he went straight back home.
"Hey", he greated Logan, carrying a box of stuff inside.
He basically made the shopping tour for the week. But he also got some other stuff he needed for his work upstairs.






@Earinor

Logan said bye to Dylan and sighed, having the day off sucked. He sat on the couch to watch TV. After a few minutes he got a message from Marcus, he wouldn't be home until after his appointment. Another sigh. Logan spent his time watching sports and stupid commercials inbetween, not knowing what else he should do.

When Marcus finally came back, he helped him with the stuff he brought inside. "What is all that?", he asked confused, looking inside the bags and bringing the ones which looked like food in the kitchen. "And how was your appointment? Did she say something about your hands?" Logan wasn't really concerned, just curious and since he had nothing better to do, he thought about yesterday a lot.

"Of course she did. She didn't like it but she said it's a step in the right direction."
Marcus never understood psychology. That was way above his IQ. Again, he wasn't that intelligent. He just had all the information all the time.
"It's fifty percent food, twenty-five percent work and twenty-five percent stuff for Dylan's school project."
Marcus emptied the stuff for Dylan on the diningtable, the rest went upstairs immediately. It was a challenge not to get to work right away. But Marcus said to himself, that he first had to finish this project before touching the files again. Only exception would be a call from Stan.
"How bored are you?", asked Marcus when he came back downstairs, "It's hard, right?"

"A step in the right direction?", Logan asked confused. "Whatever." He waited downstairs until Marcus came back, he thought he had to get him again, but he didn't start working right away. "Well.... it's not like I have much to do at work at the moment, as we have no clues about our targets. But... it's pretty boring here, I watched TV for a while, but... meh." Logan looked at the stuff on the table, which had something to do with Dylans school project. "Why do you ask? Should I help you with something? What is that all about anyway? I didn't know about a school project..." Logan was good with crafting things, he always helped his siblings with all kind of school stuff. Science, Art, whatever there was. They had always relied on him. And he got a lot of practice out of it, although he recycled some of the work and gave it to the next brother when he needed it.