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They knew that it had to happen eventually. Mom and Dad were coming home from Europe. They were about a week late in their arrival, but arrive they had. The phone call had come from the airport to let them know that they would be in shortly, and so Kaleb and Kellan had headed out to Manhattan to be at the house when they arrived. Kellan was dressed in his usualy almost-prep-school clothing, hair combed or as combed as it ever truly gets, shoes polished, the whole nine yards. He was slumped in one of the overstuffed chairs in the sitting room. Waiting.
Kaleb looked, as always, spectacular. That said he still got his shoes polished and went through the pains of putting the right outfit together. Few people put so much effort into 'not caring' as Kaleb Marshall miller. Still he was there, vest and all, reading up on a book pretaining to teh history of Tibetian architecture. He was slouched into his chair about as detached as he was going to get which was really his way of insulating himself against expectations. Not to mention the potential inquiry about this summer. The situation with Warren happened and then he fled fast. He didn't look up but took a drink and conveyed out to Kellan over the twinlink "For all we know they don't know anything. You should get yourself a drink. I might recommend like… two."
"Maybe I should." And with that, Kellan gets up and pours himself a drink that is far more liquor than it is ice before slumping back down into his chair and drinking it far more quickly than he should given his size and build, and the fact that he hadn't eaten yet. This could prove to be a poor life choice.
"A thought… canyou make another youto stay on stand by incase you need to rotate? Do shifts? Have one be me?" Kaleb glanced up over the top of his book knowing taht there was that baleful look inbound. There was a faint wink in return. He was still on his second gin. He hadn't really been much a drinker, but this summer seemed intent on changing this. Down the hall there was some bustling about as there was 'a clamour'. Kaleb's jaw set. "Well, once they're settled in… I guess we'll get through this. If you want to run now is the time. I'm not sure they remember there's two of us." Bitter? Yes.
That baleful look was indeed inbound, and it was followed by a long swallow from his glass, and then him getting up to refill it. The clamour down the hall draws his attention and he takes another swallow before pouring more in the glass and moving back to his chair. He doesn't answer Kaleb for the time being, not feeling like responding to that bitterness.
Kaleb didn't bother getting up. Not yet. He was taking respite in hitoric temples; not that he found religion but he did find something that inspired him and brought him a bit of solace and joy. "Hey, Kell? Just remember, we have to be here, but we have something to go home to." It was an odd inspirational thought, but hey it was keeping him going right now. Dress shoes on tile announced approach finally. Kaleb wasn't getting up. It was their house. He was present and if anything else the slight indeference might pull some of the heat off Kellan. It was a small role that he played, and perhaps the only real way he knew to show affection growing up. Here's to hoping
There was a slight nod in Kaleb's direction at the mention of having something to go home to, and a little smile that he can't quite contain. Yeah, Vic makes him smile like that whenever he thinks of him. Not to mention, their friends, and the solace of that home that they'd made for themselves. It doesn't seem like Kellan is getting up either as the steps approach. When their mother and father arrive in front of them, he glances up, and studies them. The obligatory judgment period usually lasts approximately 30 seconds, and so he waits. Kaleb can hear him counting down on the twin link.
They were a lovely couple; incredibly well put together and right out of the New Yorker magazine. Young, powerful, attractive, and only just past 40, though they'd never point that out to mum. "Good of you to take time out of your week to come see us."
Kaleb regarded the passive aggressive gratitude withthe same cold, detached indifference as he always did because he was on a roll. "You're back late. Did France become so terribly interesting since I left?"
It was their mother that chided him, "I thought you liked France?" Their mother turned a look to Kel..Kal…oh the one in the vest that never smiled. That one.
Kellan's eyebrow arches a little bit when their mother greets them. "You .. just got home," he says, "It's not like we kept you waiting."
It's the response from the usually mellow one that perhaps surprises their mother, her expression twitching for a moment into something less pleased. But she doesn't say anything to him in reply.
"So how was the rest of your trip?" he asks with obligatory feigned interest.
The response got a glance of intrigue from Kaleb. Damn, bro, that second drink is doing you well. He looked back to their parents waiting for that other shoe to drop.
"It was exactly what you would hope it would be when you get too many businessmen in one room." Her hand flapped and she took the moment to look upon her offspring. "If you would have joined us you would know but no. You had to leave your father standing at dinner and take off." Her words were pleasant like a song and held every bit of judgement in them… all the while having the wrong twin.
Kaleb interjected, "That wasn't Kellan. I had opportunity to meet with an architect doing a symposium." He wasn't letting Kellan take the heat on that one. "Aaaaand so it begins."
It was their father in jovial mood that dismissed the event, "Son we have many architects who work for me. Can't you just talk to one of them? You boys should start early anyways."
Kaleb got up and took his book with him to refill his glass and didn't ask Kellan, but topped his off too. The bottle was replaced on the side bar and eventually Kaleb wandered back by Kellan ad responded coolly, "This wasn't that kind of architecture. I'm talking artistic historical significance, not something renown because it's a lump of cement that has its biggest claim to fame being it is even on all sides."
Kellan looked over toward his father and then to Kaleb and didn't interject for the time being. Instead he was silent, choosing not to further embroil himself in the discussion, particularly when it was clear that their mother couldn't tell them apart — per usual. He took up his glass and took a swallow from it. Kellan is not a large man, and he doesn't really drink much, so he begins to start showing a little bit of glassiness in his eyes from how much he'd consumed and how quickly. "Look," he finally says, "We're both in college, and we're both working on degrees, and we're both doing well." Despite the fact Kaleb keeps getting melted and he's taking half his classes.
"Is it an ivy league school?" Because apparently status was everything. One could almost hear the panic in the room now. "If it's not an Ivy league school you might as well be taking correspondence classes from a community college and move to the five Burroughs now."
Luckily Kaleb inherited her acerbic wit and replied in kind, "Mother you found me out. Here I was going to surprise you by going to the University of Rhode Island and then retire to live in Hell's Kitchen and lead a life embroiled in retail middle management."
The dead stare almost had front on it. "Your son thinks he's being funny threatening to drag our name through the mud. And when we came home early to see them."
It was their father that assured, "He was joking. They would never. Kellan, what are you studying? Finance? Investments? Just don't say a doctor. They have terrible hours and they get very odd."
"International Relations," Kellan says. "This summer I spent some time studying world leaders." It's not entirely untrue. "And it's a very good school. New. Progressive. With excellent quality accredited faculty. Do you think that we'd jeopardize the quality of our education to go to a community college? The truth is the professors have heart but no funding and thus aren't able to deliver the level of education that Kaleb and I need in order to properly succeed in the lives that we've planned. So, this particular school will help us surpass previous expectations and look forward into the future." And if you buy that, he's got a bridge in Brooklyn he's looking to sell.
Kaleb made a mental note to get Kellan liquered up and let him go more often. This was great! Well… it was great to watch. The truth was he wasn't technically wrong and had to back it. "We've taken an interest in foreign affairs. My study this semester is on historic architecture. I've actually been able to travel a bit. I was able to see Iceland, Diamond Coast of Africa, parts of Asia. They have the most interesting take on capers there. I honestly think you might find it quaint but charming in its own right."
Their father stood there taking this in and finally said, "We'll take dinner and you can explain what happened at the charity benefit and why my driver thought I fired him."
Oh right. Mr. Banks. Kaleb looked to Kellan and squeezed his brother's shoulder. "Right, we'll meet you in the dining room in twenty. We'll clean up then."
Kellan just nods and gets to his feet, heading out of the room and off toward what used to be and still was technically his bedroom to go and get "cleaned up" as it were, for dinner. There was a squeeze to Kaleb's shoulder in return. It was harder than usual to tell which twin from which this evening with saltiness all around. At least, listening to their parents, one could tell where they got it from. Came by it honest, they did. Kellan eventually came out of his room and made his way toward the dinner table.
Kaleb got cleaned up and joined Kaleb's adjacent room flopped oon his back on his brother's bed swinking his feet until he was done. Kaleb was always dressed for dinner as much as the Hulk was always angry. Being put together and throwing money at a problem was his other super power. He sat up, weirdly the slightly less aggressive of the brothers tonight. Maybe, just maybe, it was because looking after Kellan was more important to him than any of his personal vendettas. He took Kellan's head and wobbled a look left and right before patting the one side of his face. He gave his mirror-self a long look and said in Twink-link *Remember, we have a family to go home to after this. It's what I'm tellin myself. C"mon. We've done dinner before. We got this. I just hope… dad doesn't bring up Sweeden.* Kaleb took a deep breathand tapped his forehead lightly to Kellans and tuen turned with his usual aloof air and strolled down teh overly familiar halls they knew every corner of, and every creak in teh floor.
If they bring up Sweden, I'll tell them I sleep with guys, Kellan broadcasts to his brother with a flicker of a grin. He is drunk. He's had at least one more drink between going to get ready and being ready, and he's not a very large framed person. He touches foreheads with his twin and then grins. "Come on," he says aloud. "How bad can it be?" Famous last words. And with that, he wanders toward dinner with his brother, at least fortified with enough alcohol to make it through dinner.
Kaleb actually snickered looking back to Kellan with an amused grin, *Uhhh what could happen? Uhhh them trying to lock you away in an institution? I'd rather deal with Sweden than be absent a brother. I can fake not having a soul. I can't fake not having a brother* It was touching, really, but it did put him in a slightly better mood. They had a spark of life outside of these walls as much as these walls were also their fortress they doubly served as a prisin for that closet that had Kellan's proverbial shoebox in it. The night was a real mixed bag.
The dining room was as it always ever was: alrge with art on the walls, large windows iwth long drapes, a portrait of their grandmoter on the wall, and a surplus of Queen Anne's style furniture. Their mother was really a stunning, if not severe woman sitting at one end of the table and their father at the head of it. Kaleb wondered If we get up and switch halfway through think they'd notice? not that they haven't gone whole meals as kids doing that very thing to spite the lack of attentiveness. As it was Kaleb didn't come empty handed. There was a small box sat a small flat box down in front of her. "We got you a welcome home present." WHen teh hell did he do that? Oh this was a CYA gift. RIght. He could play the game when he wanted and he was very much mroe his mother's son. Blue eyes weighed on her in a rather formal passiveness as she looked; not delighted at the thoughtfulness, but appeased that the formalities were kept up. "Oh you boys didn't have to do that." Yes they did. They very, very much would never have heard the end of the passive aggressive cannon shots all evening had they not that would have gone a fortnight. Inside was a broach that was historic to some other Daughter of the American Revolution before her with a certificate signed in authenticity and a folded letter of appraisal that was notorized so she could leverage her 'things' with uncontested flaunting. "Ooooohthis is lovely! The girls will all be delighted. Don't you think it looks nice? I think it looks rather lovely." Kaleb's head tilt in a nod and he went and sat down giving Kellan that look. *Arm her with something to hold over other people? Yeah. Can't wait til shopping for the holidays. Maybe we should get her a bear trap from Tiffany's? for the foyer*
Kellan looked a little surprised when Kaleb pulled out a gift, but he masked it by turning to go and head for his seat, settling into it while Kaleb presented it to their mother. He glanced over in that direction as though curious to see what it was, but not really letting on that he had no idea. Though when Kaleb speaks in his head, he has to cough a little to avoid a laugh and he picks up his water glass to take a sip from it, feigning something in his throat. "We're glad you like it," he says to their mother, not really claiming that he had anything to do with it, but at the same time — of course they're glad, because if she didn't it'd be so so much worse.
Kaleb actually smiled a faint grin at Kellan, though, of course mum took that in stride for her being pleased.
"Boys that was a lovely gesture for your mother. Though after spending that much on some young lady I should say at least you thought of your mother."
Busted! Kaleb's head looked acutely at the soup being delivered to teh table. Napkin was dragged to his lap and methodicly he said, "The impetus of youth. Her family is connected well enough and the return went towards family investment." This seemed to only mildly pascify their father's curiosity, but lo, was he aware of Kaleb's mass spending habits over hte summer as it were. Mmmmhmmm.
Kellan is utterly silent through the exchange, focusing on the soup and dipping his spoon into it. He glances between his father and Kaleb, and then his mother and Kaleb, and then his mother and father, but then he's right back to his soup. Being silent and remaining very still as though he were trying to avoid attracting the attention of a creature that hunts based on movement, Kellan flies under the radar for the time being. His own spending had been moderate at best — perhaps a little higher than usual, but all that was easily explained away as the majority being school supplies and furnishing a new apartment.
Kaleb sat prissy and nearly entirely unapologetic justifying his decision for indulging that ridiculously flashy manicure as a social business expense. *You know, I actually would rather take the heat on this than have them on other things. Man. I dunno wether to scream into a canyon or send her a thank you card for the red herring*. He offered, "I did get an opportunity to attend a sponsored outing to go look at some dynesty architecture. And before you ask no, I didn't collect you a Ming vase. Anyone without taste has heard of those so there's no point." There was a murmur of agreement. "I think it'd be a worth while endevor to see the world and the parts we haven't really reached out to with Capstone. Find out what their story is, their history, and what's needed. Discover on education and see if there's opportunity for expansion at all. Maybe different market structures in there."