The Horne Saga Ch. 02: Familiar Habits

"Are you okay, Jamie? You seemed quiet earlier. Did something happen at Michael's and Michelle's?" Jamie's eyes met Riley's, his body language betraying his attempts to mask his sorrow.

James sat up, his mid-length, brunette hair helping to cover his miserable expression. "No, they were cool, I... I've just been under a lot of stress lately at college. I don't want to bother you with the details, but I've..I've been having a bit of a crisis lately. I don't know how to explain it. I tried talking to Mom and Dad about it. Mom said she understood and that she had something that would help tomorrow, but I don't know. What could she do to make me feel like myself? I feel like I'm doing something wrong. Like I'm lying to myself about myself. Like I'm an imposter. Does that make any sense?"

Jamie's eyes started to moisten, he was clearly holding back something. Riley didn't recognize his usual confident sibling, but he did recognize a familiar pain in him, a pain he wanted to remove.

Riley steeled himself, marching straight towards Jamie, sitting down, and wrapping his arm around his brother before softly speaking, "Hey, identity crisis is MY thing! I've been through that song and dance a million times, and I promise that you are not alone. Questioning who you are is a part of growing up, I know that better than anyone. I don't want you to worry about who you are because, to me, you're always going to be my cute older brother. The brother I'll always be there for."

James shook his head, fighting back tears, before confessing, "I'm sorry, I just..., found myself wanting to be a completely different person at school these past few months. Mike and Michelle both fawning over each other made me think I wouldn't be able to find love like theirs as I am now. Honestly, I'm starting to envy you and Alexis most of the time I'm here. You two always seem so confident in your outfits and makeup, getting to be pretty and free, while I have to walk around pretending like I'm as tough as Dad, breaking my back trying to put on microscopic amounts of muscle at a time. I look more like Mom than Dad, and Lord knows I didn't get his body. I just wish I knew what I needed to be."

Riley hugged his brother even tighter, "You need to be what makes you happy, maybe mom can help you work that out tomorrow; if not, you can always come to talk to me or Lex. Not to mention Dad being a good source of advice. You are surrounded by people who love you and want to help, all you have to do is ask." James nodded, his eyes starting to water, but he was able to compose himself before any tears touched his skin.

"I dunno, I'm just in a weird place right now, I'll let you know if I need any help after whatever Mom tries, I promise," James concluded his confessional, his shoulders becoming more relaxed as he accepted that his family was truly on his side, before wrapping his own arms back around Riley.

After a short hug, Riley let his brother go, standing up with his hip cocked to one side, lovingly looking down at his big brother. Riley couldn't help but notice that Jamie looked a lot like himself from this angle; he was a cutie, and he could have easily passed as a girl if he just put in a little effort. Riley stood stoically, still unsure of how to guide the older sibling helplessly sitting below him.

He had the same curvy body as Riley, but a body with a little bit more muscle and definition. He could easily stay the hunk he thought he was supposed to be, albeit with a slightly more feminine face. Jamie had so many options for what he could become, and Riley could only hope that Mom had something good planned for him. He hated seeing his brother as lost as he was.

"Alright, I'll hold you to that. Anyway, I'm headed to bed early," Riley exclaimed with sincere fatigue in his voice, "I have had the craziest day of my life, and I really need some sleep to let everything process." Riley turned and walked towards the stairway, swinging his hips elegantly as he walked, accidentally giving his brother a rather pleasant view of his bouncing butt, the same as he did to his sister.

"What happened?" asked James, a look of worry crossing his face.

Riley turned back briefly, "Our sister tried to show me who I wanted to be, she showed me some things that would take far too long to explain. I promise I'll tell you everything someday, once we figure out who YOU want to be." The cryptic answer puzzled James, who decided it was not the right time to pry.

"Good night... I love you, ya know," Riley said with honey in his words.

"I love you too," Jamie confessed, with a nervous but reassured tone in his voice.

Riley fled up the stairs, skipping to his room, and flinging his door open before gently closing it again. Riley stripped off the loose shirt and tight shorts, his privates now exposed to the world. Launching his bottoms with his foot, and walking towards his bed, he paused in front of his mirror. He checked himself up and down in the dim light of his room. His neck was slender, his shoulders were narrow, and his chest was tight and flat. Yup, he really did like his figure; its girlish shape driving his sister crazy brought confidence to the insecure young boy who possessed it.

Bringing his gaze lower, he saw his midsection form a tight V into his wider hips, resting compactly on his thick thighs. Between his thunderous legs, he took stock of the flaccid member quietly hanging where it had always been before, moisturized and pampered like a prized pig at the fair. It was so cute in appearance, despite looking like a 20 oz can of Red Bull and a pair of ripe oranges hanging below it. It was smooth, with no veins, fully circumcised, and little discoloration, it almost looking womanly in its appearance.

When he woke up that morning, he had cursed it, since it had caused so much headache for him during his teen years. However, after that experience this afternoon and after learning others had the same anatomical anomaly, he felt like maybe it did belong on him. Like it wasn't something holding him back. He swung his hips side to side, sending its heavy girth playfully smacking the side of his legs, causing Riley to smirk with fulfillment.

Riley rationalized their actions to himself. His sister showed him how sexy he could be, he really didn't care if they were related, he only cared that she loved him. She just showed her love in a more invasive manner than most. A manner that was taboo to so many, but since when did he care about the opinions of some stuck-up hypocrites? Those same people had shunned him before just for being himself, and he wasn't going to start listening to them now.

Riley twirled in the mirror, accepting the risqué nature of his new relationship with his sister, and everyone else would just have to get over it. Besides, it's not like their relationship could get him pregnant or anything... although, he wouldn't mind letting her try.

He had to play bashful though; he didn't want to let on that he was too into it, otherwise, she might try to be even riskier with their new "bonding exercises". Mom couldn't find out, especially Dad. Confident or not, Riley knew it was best to keep the knowledge of such a lewd act to as few people as possible. Who knows how others will react or what they might do? Riley doubted it would be anything good. His concerns would have to wait until morning, however, his aching ass still throbbed, and he needed a full night's rest to be ready to work tomorrow.

Riley jumped on the bed, his ass still burning, flipping himself onto his back. His flaccid manhood hanging restfully off the side of his hip. He stared at his ceiling, the day's events playing over and over in his head. His eyes grew heavier, his mouth yawning loudly, and he could no longer maintain his consciousness. His world faded and he fell into a blissful sleep, dreaming of the experiences to come.

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A burning light poured into Riley's room as the sun's rays pierced through Riley's eyelids.

"Ah, not again!" Riley cried as he tried in vain to stop the rude awakening, covering his tender retinas from the sun's presence. The familiar looming tower let go of the curtains that previously barricaded the window, walking around Riley's bed, exposing themselves as his often sleep-ruining mother.

Riley pushed past the pain and sat up, tossing his covers off of him before standing to his feet, stretching his arms as high as he could. He had a great night's sleep and he was in a surprisingly good mood, so he decided to forgo the usual reluctance to get out of bed and meet his mother head-on. Riley yawned before pausing suddenly, his brain desperately trying to remind him of something important.

He felt cold standing in his room, as a small breeze danced underneath him. His eyes shot open as he looked down at the towering morning wood, pointed directly towards his mother. Her mouth hung open in stunned surprise, her eyes glued to the battering ram aimed directly at her stomach. She stood there unmoving, captivated by the massive cock attached to her youngest son, staring for an uncomfortably long amount of time.

Evelyn's face went red as blood, and she turned away in a flurry, her hair snapping back while she cupped her mouth with her hands, forcing her eyes shut. Riley's pose remained frozen in its stretching state, his indecent exposure forcing a wave of blood into his cheeks. A moment passed, and the petrified boy regained some control of his body, futilely trying to push his erection down and away from his own sight, only a fraction being covered by his dainty hands.

"Oh my god, Mom, I'm sorry," Riley apologized loudly, desperately turning around and covering himself with his bedsheets. "I forgot I went to bed commando last night, I'm so sorry you had to see that!" Riley sat on his bed, his racing heart unable to withstand the wave of embarrassment crashing over him.

"It's... It's okay, sweetie," his mother said in a loving but muffled voice behind her hands, "Just uh... just get dressed and head downstairs, your sister is waiting on you." His mother exited the room hastily, her face still covered by her hands, before ducking into her bathroom.

"Fuck," Riley cursed to himself, pointlessly tossing the blankets off his nude body.

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The next 30 minutes went by quickly, and Riley got to skip the shower thanks to his late one yesterday. He spent much of his time doing his maintenance work like tooth brushing, moisturizing, and knotting his hair into its signature braid. He applied a moderate amount of makeup, albeit more eyeshadow than he needed, before getting dressed.

He decided to dress light for the heavy lifting he had to do and because he didn't want to die in the heat, he squeezed himself into a pair of black leggings and a white cut-off tank top, showing half of his toned stomach. He wore his white sneakers and some pink socks. He fastened his slightly stretched choker around his neck, its form nearly returned to its usual shape, before slipping on his sporty white baseball cap. His wardrobe for the day was assembled; he was now ready to get to work.

Riley skipped down the stairs into the brightly lit kitchen, seeing only his sister there, propped against the counter and nursing an energy drink. It looked like a can of Red Bull from where he was standing, her favorite brand.

"Ready to get this over with, femboy? Or do you need some more recovery time?" Alexis spoke sharply, her finger tapping the edge of the counter, her eyes fixed on her brother's lower half.

Riley grumbled with annoyance as he begrudgingly trotted to the refrigerator, opening it, and grabbing a bottle of spring water. Riley turned to his sister, propping himself against the steel box, its coldness cooling his still slightly sore ass, "Fuck off, will you?" Riley opened the bottle and gulped down nearly half of its contents in one swallow, replenishing his dehydrated body. "Anyway, what are we doing today exactly?"

Alexis responded, her eyes dancing up and down her brother's tight physique, "Mom filled me in this morning. Our neighbor, Miss Carrington, you know the one behind our house? She has a bunch of boxes from her office that she needs moved around or something. Mom said we had to help her. I think to pay back a favor she did for her, but I dunno." Alexis took another sip, looking at the floor with indifference. Her outfit was a white tube top and a pair of sweatpants, with far less thought put into the pairing.

"Wait, Miss Carrington? My doctor? When did she move in?" Riley asked with amusement, cocking his head while trying to remember the last time he had seen her.

"She moved in like a month ago," Alexis claimed with annoyance, "during the start of summer break when you were off jerking your pole in camp or wherever the hell you were." Alexis stood herself up straight, tossing her drink in the trashcan, and moved towards the back door, her own feminine figure tempting Riley.

"Oh," Riley responded, puzzled at how he had not seen his new neighbor or heard anything about it from Mom. He quizzed Alexis, "Mom must have forgotten to tell me, I guess. Where is Mom, by the way? Is she not walking us over?"

Alexis stopped at the door and turned, "She had James go out and get something for her own work. I assume she is still upstairs getting ready, but I'm not sure, she never came back downstairs." Alexis replied. Riley became silent as he remembered their inappropriate encounter earlier that morning, glancing briefly at his mostly tucked extremity, sighing before following his sister.

Riley and Alexis exited the house and began walking towards their neighbor's wooden fence, following a small stone path that led to a small gate at the corner of the yard. The day was sunny, with a slight breeze rustling the full trees over them. They trotted along the set path, unenthused by the tasks ahead of them. As Alexis approached first, her hand raising to catch the handle, the gate flew backward, jarringly revealing their neighbor.

"Lex! Riles! I was just coming over to get you two. Your mom tells me you are helping me with some errands around the house today." The voice surprised both of the siblings, making them jump.

The voice belonged to an ashy blonde with a lot of enthusiasm behind her words. She was tall, at least 6'1" with what can only be described as a very muscular frame. She was huge. Her size always intimidated him when he was younger, and that has not gone away with age. She had bigger shoulders than most women like her, her arms were thick with muscle, and her thighs could have been mistaken for tree trunks. She looked powerful, yet she always maintained a more feminine frame with her small waist, broad hips, and pleasant curves. Riley stared for no more than a few seconds, but it felt like weeks as he readjusted to the Amazon he was forced to meet every year or so.

The giant darted towards Alexis, grabbing her with a full hug and using a bit too much force in her excitement, squeezing the air out of the youthful lass. Looking at Riley behind her, she let go of Alexis, who was now gasping for air and practically swept Riley off his feet. She lifted him off the ground with her embrace, his head getting squished against the D cups sitting buoyantly on her chest. Riley breathed in her scent, mostly trying to breathe at all, and was assaulted by the smell of lavender and raspberry. Dropping Riley, the woman stepped back and placed herself in front of the two young people standing before her, her hands resting on both of the kids' shoulders.

"I'm so glad I get to see you guys today. I only ever get to see you two in the office. I'm so excited to talk to you guys outside of work, so maybe now you too can learn a little something about me for once." She giggled, turning back towards her house and motioning for the two to follow her.

Riley caught his balance and pushed his sister forward to follow. He had not seen her in forever, and he was surprised at how casual her greeting was. Was this the same no-nonsense doctor who coached him through so much? He observed her as she moved onto her property. She was always in shape, but more impressive to him was her age. She had to be 20 years his mom's senior, and her chiseled body betrayed that fact easily. The only hint of her age was her face and skin, both showing signs of getting older, with various wrinkles and spots scattered across her complexion. Her eyes had light bags underneath them, masked with some concealer, but overshadowed by her piercing blue eyes. She couldn't be less than 60; despite this, she had the body of someone half that age, likely thanks to a strict diet and intense workout regimen, Riley thought.

Riley and his sister both stared at the woman's ass while she walked, her ass was thick with muscle and swinging side to side majestically, forcing both of them to readjust themselves. The woman wore some gray suit pants and a maroon dress shirt, with several of the top buttons sitting unfastened. She wore some black high heels and tied her dim golden hair into a tight knot on her head. A pair of large-frame glasses rested on her small nose. She seemed like she was just about to leave for work. Was she really going to do manual labor wearing such professional clothing?

Reaching the door to her garage, she opened it and beckoned the two kids inside, switching on a dim lightbulb in the middle of the room. Alexis and Riley's eyes adjusted. They saw hundreds of boxes stacked neatly throughout the garage, with only a few paths crossing between them. Riley dropped his head back as he dreaded the amount of work ahead of him, alongside Alexis mumbling some aggravated curses under her own breath.

The woman turned and instructed, "All I need from you two is to bring these boxes to the basement and put them in my new home office downstairs. They shouldn't be too heavy, they're just some files and such, plus I know you guys are healthy enough to get it done." A warm smile accompanied the request, inspiring resolve in the two siblings. "If you don't have any questions, we can get started. We need to hustle though, I need to head out around noonish to the office. I told your Mom it'd be an all-day job, but I think we can get it done a bit early if that's okay with you two. So, how about it?"

"Dr. Carrington, I...", Riley started, before being interrupted, "Please call me Carey when we aren't in the office. You two little cuties don't need to be all polite when you are doing me such a solid for the day." Riley smiled sheepishly, trying hard to hide the compliment's effects, before continuing.

"Miss Carey, I'm... I just want to say sorry for not coming over to talk to you sooner, I would have said hi if I knew you moved in so close to us," Riley said bashfully, staring into Carey's shining blue eyes.

"Oh, It's no issue, I promise," Carey spoke directly to the shorter boy, their height difference elevating her authority. "I meant to stop in yesterday, but you seemed a little busy at the time." A disarming smile filled her face, unveiling a pair of perfect white teeth. "It really doesn't matter, we can catch up while we work and during our break. I want to hear how you little rascals have been doing in school, your social lives, everything, but first things first, everyone grab a box and follow me, I'll show you where to put them."

The next few hours were spent picking up surprisingly light boxes and carrying them a little ways to the basement, the three of them making small talk as they worked. They each built up a sweat except Carey, who obviously didn't mind the cardio. Riley wondered why she really wanted them here since she could easily carry all of these herself; hell, she was even working in her high heels. Did Mom ask her to give us a job, or did Carey ask for them herself? Maybe, she just wanted to catch up with them... maybe.