Always Home Ch. 01

PUBLIC BETA

Note: You can change font size, font face, and turn on dark mode by clicking the "A" icon tab in the Story Info Box.

You can temporarily switch back to a Classic Literotica® experience during our ongoing public Beta testing. Please consider leaving feedback on issues you experience or suggest improvements.

Click here
Dkling
Dkling
96 Followers

I sang to her, I held her; I sang to her about a love I only half-understood but which somehow resonated through me. Take my hand, take my whole life too...

She lifted her head. Her eyes opened, slowly. "You idiot," she whispered. "You ridiculous, beautiful... idiot!"

She pulled away from me, then, with more strength than before. Stumbling for a moment, she headed off into the bathroom, closing the door behind her. A minute or so later, the sound of running water let me know she was in the shower. I stood at the door, heart weighed down like lead. Through the steady drumming of water, I could hear Elsie, no longer trying to hold back, sobbing helplessly.

...I can't help falling in love with you.

* * *

The couch was a milch-brown upholstered affair, with vaguely vertical stripes running up and down its fabric. The padding wasn't much cop, though; as I tossed and turned restlessly, I could feel the wooden frame pressing against my hip and shoulders, then my back. The cushioning was lumpy, and the unfamiliarity of the surroundings didn't help.

I hadn't dared say anything else to Elsa that night, not even when she came out of the bathroom in her faded pink robe, her hair wrapped in a towel. I didn't know what I might have said. I wanted to apologise; I wanted to tell her I was sorry for, for—

Sorry for what? What was I feeling so guilty about? Sure, I'd made a bit of a faux pas and hurt her unintentionally. Nerves were bound to be a bit frazzled on all our parts, at this stage of our new life. But why did I feel so much more... as if I'd transgressed somehow, done something wrong? It wasn't as if I'd never insulted Elsa before, and usually I'd done it on purpose.

The living room was dark; a faint glow from the street leaked through the vertical blinds. Elsa's TV sat in the gloom like a one-eyed guardian; Marnie's half-filled bookcase seemed disorganised, half-complete. This wasn't home. This was someplace new, a place I had to come to terms with. We all had to work out where we were. Who we were.

And who was Elsie? Twenty-nine years old, seemingly the perpetual student. She had honours and a half-finished master's degree. She was twenty-nine and didn't have a boyfriend. There'd been short-term relationships from time to time, but nothing she seemed comfortable with. They'd been decent guys, mostly -- semi-professionals and ex-academics. One of her literature professors; some guy who sold computer hardware, a blind date; someone she'd met at a friend's engagement party.

But never entirely comfortable. She'd stand there next to them, and it'd be 'Christian and Elsie', or 'David and Elsie', never 'the two of them'. Always apart somehow, my brown-eyed sister, never quite at her ease. Always something standing between them, some sort of distance.

Mum had said Elsie was just shy. She'd find the right man when she was ready. Or rather, the right man would find her, and not let up. Not let her deflect him with self-effacement.

Elsie hadn't dated in almost three years. And now this.

The thoughts didn't help sleep on its way any faster. A couple of times I slipped into a half-doze, but the haze would dissolve into wakefulness again, pierced by images of Elsa standing there watching me; Elsa with tears welling in her eyes, wringing her hands, imploring me... and I'd start awake, flicking my eyelids open, to find no-one there -- just the empty grey room and the damned slats of the couch.

Then, the third or fourth time, I opened my eyes and she was there. Ghostly and shimmering in pale satin nightclothes. Standing over me, irresolute.

"Elsie?" I mumbled, squinting at her. "Y'okay?"

"I..." She looked at me, apparently not knowing what to say. "I... couldn't sleep. I didn't want to wake you. You looked so peaceful."

"Trust me, this couch doesn't encourage good sleep," I told her. "What's up? Anything the matter?"

"I just couldn't sleep," she repeated, helplessly, as if it were her last hope of an alibi. "I thought, maybe, that... that you might want... That you might want the bed," she finished in a rush. "I haven't been able to get to sleep anyway, so I just came out here to see if you were awake... but you haven't been, so I kept going back and trying again, but I just can't sleep, it's impossible. I thought I... thought I might read or something, but I didn't want to disturb you by turning on the light."

"I'm awake now," I said, waving to the bookcase. "Go on, grab something."

"Okay," she said, drifting past me. She paused at the bookcase, before taking down a book seemingly at random and clutching it to her chest. "Good night, Ger."

"'Night, Elsie." I let myself slip back down, trying to get comfortable. A vain hope, but one worth clinging to.

A moment later, I realised Elsa still hadn't moved.

"Gerald?" she asked, hesitantly.

"Yup?"

"Do you want the bed? I can just as easily sit out here if you—"

"I'm fine, Elsie, really," I said, looking at her again, and catching more of a sense this time. "Elsie, do you want to... to talk, or something? I'm not really tired."

She pulled her arms closer around herself, drawing back. It was the first time I'd literally seen her drawing back into her shell. There was something she wanted to ask, something she was afraid to ask, or embarrassed...

"Elsie, what do you need?" I asked, bluntly. "What can I do?"

Her face crumpled; apparently the direct approach had been the wrong one. "Nothing, Ger. I just... Never mind. I'm sorry. Good night." She spun and moved away, back towards her room. The door closed behind her.

Tiredly, I pulled myself up. Idiot Gerald had done the wrong thing yet again. I just wasn't used to Elsa being so... so vulnerable, that was all. She usually traded barbs with the best of us; was always the one who gave, never asserted herself, always did what she thought was best for everyone, not just herself...

"Well, screw you," I muttered to myself. "It's not going to work that way tonight."

In the gloom I moved to Elsa's door and pushed it open. She was curled up on her bed, the book clamped tightly to her chest, her back to me. Her shoulders heaved with dry sobbing. The bed covers were tangled and rumpled.

Softly I padded closer. Gently, I reached out and touched her shoulder. "Elsa."

"Go away, Ger," she whispered.

I moved closer, bracing one knee on the bed. "No. Tell me what I can do."

She rolled over to face me, her face distorted by crying, tears shining on her cheeks. "Did you want to see this, Gerald? Did you want to see big sis Elsa sobbing like a baby? Well, now you have!" Then, as she started sobbing even harder, I leaned down and pulled her close to me.

"It's okay, Elsie," I murmured, cradling her head against my shoulder. Stroking her hair. Feeling her body tremble against me. "It's okay, I promise everything's going to be okay."

She nestled up against me; I adjusted my position, sliding down on the mattress so I could lie back, taking her hand and pressing it up against my heart. Holding her with the other hand. Keeping her safe.

Raising my head, I bent down ever so slightly and kissed her hair. Her sobs were quieter now; her hands twitched spasmodically in my grasp. I just held on tighter. "Shh, Elsie, lovely one. Quiet. Don't cry. It's all right. I promise."

After a while, her sobs subsided completely. Her breathing smoothed out and became hushed, regular. Her hands still twitched from time to time, but not from distress.

"Elsa?" I whispered.

No response.

Dkling
Dkling
96 Followers
12
Please rate this story
The author would appreciate your feedback.
  • COMMENTS
Anonymous
Our Comments Policy is available in the Lit FAQ
Post as:
Anonymous
13 Comments
WargamerWargamerover 3 years ago

Of course the will can challenged, this happens often.

They'd beat the floozy too, not a problem in any Western country legal system I know. Would not cost a fortune to do so either. Most countries have lawyers who do no win no pay cases.

This story plot has a huge hole in it already

JagnagJagnagabout 5 years ago
Interesting way of writing !!

Story line good but odd, struggling a bit as no real descriptions or exact ages till much later, and no idea about the 3rd sibling, no time of year or location too.

Lets see what chaper 2 brings eh ?

atheist_liberalatheist_liberalabout 8 years ago
This series seems like a slow burner

But I LOVED the first chapter! It's a testament to your writing ability that my heart aches for these siblings!

AnonymousAnonymousabout 9 years ago
It just seamed -

REAL

AnonymousAnonymousabout 9 years ago
Only mature readers would have the sense to give this a 5/5

Because mature readers want build up and don't want sex on every fucking chapter because they aren't disgusting freaks. Good job, not catering to those losers. They should just watch porn.

Show More
Share this Story

READ MORE OF THIS SERIES

Similar Stories

Colleen Out of the ashes, brother & sister find romance.in Incest/Taboo
Words on Skin A little sister can't say some things out loud.in Incest/Taboo
Sleeping with Ellie Siblings have to deal with their feelings, and their family.in Incest/Taboo
Threads: The Island Kyle gets an inheritance, sisters and trouble. in Incest/Taboo
Forever and Ever There are things siblings can't do, but rules can be broken.in Incest/Taboo
More Stories