Work Text:
1)
Cub smiled as he set a cup of tea in front of Scott- this man who had come to him with spiders hanging from him and a cautious smile. This man who had Mother's gifts dripping off of him like water down a waterfall.
"Sugar?"
"That would be lovely."
Cub nodded as he offered Scott the sugar bowl with a smile.
"My younger brother Scar always complains I never put enough sugar, put as much as you'd like, Scott."
"You have a brother?"
"I do yes, his name is Scar, you'll meet him one of these days I'm sure."
"How can you be so sure?"
Ah, yes, the reason he'd invited Scott over.
"The Mother calls all of us her children, and you Scott are one of her prized children. One of her prized sons. You and I are similar in that respect- Mother's favorites, though I do not hold favorites as she does. To me those of the Web are my siblings as we are all Mother's children. You to me are a younger brother."
Scott set his tea down then, his shoulders raised, his back straight, his posture that of a man about to fight using only words.
"I don't need another brother. My twin and I do quite well without an older brother watching over us. Just because I am a child of the Mother means not that I am your brother. I thank you for the tea, but I must be on my way, I have a meeting soon I must attend."
"As you wish. You are welcome anytime, Scott."
Cub shook his head lightly as Scott stepped out- stubborn he was. That was well alright, he was still family to Cub, even if he was stubborn in his denial of it.
2)
Cub waved Scott inside with a kind smile- the table was set, there was far too much food, it was perfect.
"Scott I'm glad you could make it."
"Yes well, I'd not be here if not for a…mutual friend of ours."
Cleo, he wouldn't be here if it wasn't for Cleo who had wonderfully convinced Scott to join the family dinner Cub tried to hold monthly or at least bimonthly.
"Come, there is a seat at the table for you. Did your brother wish not to attend?"
Silence.
Cub had invited Scott's brother- it would not be fair if he had his own brother here and not Scott's own twin. Annabelle's blood were not invited- she cared not for them, so they were not to be invited. But Xornoth? Scott cared for them, they were family as much as Scott was.
"No, Xornoth prefers to stay away from too many eyes."
"Of course, another time then. Come, there is a seat for you at the table."
Annabelle had already arrived- she always insisted on arriving early, even if she spent more time weaving than helping at Cub's insistence.
"Scott, have you met Annabelle yet?"
"I haven't."
"Allow me to introduce you. Scott this is our sister, Annabelle. Annabelle this is our brother, Scott. You and he have both been Mother's for far longer than most. And beside her is Scar. Scar this is Scott, Scott meet Scar, he's of my blood as you and Annabelle are of the web."
Annabelle smiled as she greeted Scott.
"Lovely to meet you Scott, come, join us for dinner won't you?"
Dinner went well for approximately fifteen minutes.
Annabelle and Scott seemed to be getting along, weaving their words around their meanings as Scar shared stories with the group and Cub watched his siblings interact.
Then Annabelle said something that sparked a flame in Scott.
"You must bring your twin to the next family dinner, I would love to meet them."
An innocent sentence.
Scott- well he bristled.
"They need not risk their safety to dine with people unknown to them."
"Your twin is family just as Scar is-"
"No. Xornoth is my family as I am his. I don't need anyone else as family."
Scar distracted them with a story- told loudly and with so much joy that the argument was smothered before it could start. Once dinner was over Scott left with a final remark thanking Cub for the invite and declining future family dinners- insisting he wasn't part of the family.
Annabelle spent several hours pacing as she ranted about Scott's rudeness and Cub merely shook his head.
"He is new to this sister mine. Give him time, he may be stubborn, but he will find family in us just as he does his twin. Why don't you show me your weaving? You said you had a new project, yes?"
3)
Cub was on his way home when footsteps fell in line with his. He didn't turn, he didn't look to see who was walking with him. Annabelle's steps were punctuated by heels clicking on the sidewalk when she fell into step, always on the side closest to the shops- farthest from the street. Fwhip always walked on the outside- an old habit from being the eldest, walking closest to the road in case something happened. And Scott? He walked behind Cub for some time, every time Cub would move closer to the road, his way of inviting Scott to his side.
The moment steps fell in line with his behind him Cub made his way to the side- allowed Scott to walk beside him.
After several moments of silence Scott spoke.
"Have you time for lunch?"
Cub smiled, of course he did.
"Oh of course, there's a lovely place nearby where we can enjoy our lunch together."
It didn't take too long for them to reach the restaurant and sit across from one another, speaking around whatever the reasoning for the surprise visit until they were finished eating and Scott passed a box over to Cub- brilliantly carved by- his twin likely. Inside the box was a dark blue jacket with brilliant embroidery of black webs, a wonderful gift. Cub took off the jacket he wore- a simple white jacket- and replaced it with the blue jacket with a large smile.
"It's wonderful Scott, I just adore it, brother mine."
"Not your brother."
Scott didn't leave so quickly- no he walked with him back home, a wonderful walk. When Cub got home he noticed fog pooling on the floor and his smile softened.
"Jevin, darling! You must come see what my brother has made for me."
"Cub. I am not your brother."
"You are, and you've sealed it now embroidering something for me and accepting the wire sculptor I gifted you."
No matter how stubborn Scott insisted upon being- he was family.
4)
Cub smiled as he stepped into the theater- it was not his first time seeing the show, no of course not, but he would never pass up an opportunity to see Ren's show.
False was Ushering- a sight that brought a smile to his face as he spotted her.
"False, my dear how are you?"
"I'm doing good, how are you?"
"Oh wonderful. Are you going to be watching the show tonight?"
"No, I've seen it enough times this year. Did you get balcony seats again?"
"Oh of course, they're the best seats to see the show from if I do say so."
"Is it just you?"
"No, no, my brother is attending with me-"
Scott tsked from behind him.
"Not your brother, Cub."
False chuckled as she shook her head at them.
"Right. I sit just you two then?"
"Indeed, just my brother and I- it's very important to get one on one time with my siblings so they don't think I've started to choose favorites."
Scott shook his head.
"Not your brother."
False laughed again, a smile pulling at her lips.
"Alright, go on to your balcony, I don't need your arguing holding up the crowds."
5)
Cub was making dinner when he heard someone speak from the island behind him.
"I heard you've got your sailor back."
Ah, Scott. Of course.
"I have yes, both of them are home tonight. You must stay for dinner, you'll need to meet XB. He will adore you. Oh and of course you'll meet him at family dinner, but much better you meet him here today. Oh and we'll be having a family brunch in a few days as well."
"Cub."
"Why don't you help me with the salad?"
They cooked together, smiles and stories shared- eventually XB stepped into the kitchen.
"You've got a blue shadow, Cub."
Cub laughed as he motioned for XB to sit at the counter.
"XB, dear I'd like for you to meet my brother, Scott."
"Not your brother."
XB raised an eyebrow.
"Which is it?"
Cub chuckled.
"He's one of Mother's Children, that makes him my brother. He's just stubborn about his refusal. You'll meet the others at brunch- speaking of food can you set the table? We're nearly done here."
+1)
Scott was sat at a cafe having lunch when a pair of heels sounded towards is table, a familiar form dressed like a high class Victorian woman sat across from him.
It'd been some time since he'd seen Annabelle. He hadn't seen her since the funeral.
"Annabelle."
"Cut the pleasantries, Scott. You pulled on my strings, my pawn. Why did you do that? I had a plan-"
"A plan that I wove to be much better."
"Scott."
"Your pawn killed my brother, Annabelle, I'm not all too sure I trust you with pawns so close to family."
Annabelle flinched- a small thing he barely noticed as she sat up straighter.
"Oh so now he's your brother? After years of denying it you realize it after he's gone? Now he's family?"
"Don't you play that-"
"Play what? You're the man who has spent years denying the family he gave you. You didn't realize what you have until he was killed. You know as well as I do that you can't control Hunters with strings and I did not hold her leash. Do not pin the death of one of two men to call me sister and mean it on me, Scott Major."
Annabelle stood then, left Scott to watch her leave.
He truly never had told Cub that he saw him as family- hadn't spoken the words until today.
That changed nothing, his elder brother was dead and nothing could change how it was woven.
He could change something here- he could fix things, not with Cub or Annabelle but Martin. He could do what Cub would have done, invite him in as a brother and hold him as family. Hold Fwhip the same, lest he not tell them they were family until their deaths.