Ficlet: Coming Home
(Takes place RIGHT after Chaotic Century draws to a close and Major Karl Schubaltz goes home)
The jeep's wheels came to a halt, the two rookie Imperial soldiers looked back and smiled with thoughtful blue and black eyes. "Hey, Major. You're home."
A figure sat up from the backseat of the jeep and yawned, stretching. His half-tired emerald eyes focused in on the mansion's iron gates and the gold Calligraphy "CS" on the bars of the gates. Guarding the gates with their ever vigil stare was two marble lions, weathered with age and cracked from harsh weather, stemming from hot summers to brutal winters. The estate beyond the gates was elegant and breath-taking, a feat in landscape design. Off to one side was a lake with sparkling blue water, to the other was a zoid hangar with a few Zoids inside. The major gathered his two bags and a pet carrier and slung the bags over his shoulder, then watched the jeep drive off after honking at him. The two soldiers waved to their major and vanished around the corner.
I bet Muter and Vater will be happy to see me. I wonder how much Thomas has grown since I last saw him. Man, it musta been years. He was like 10 or 12 when I left for Vaskuyard. He opened the gates and walked in, then made the long trek to the doors of the estate. He carefully slid the key in the door and turned it, then opened the door to the foyer. It was dark inside, barely lit from the lack of light thanks to the sunset.
"Muter? Vater? I'm home. Tommy? Is anyone home?" He called out upstairs, but suddenly hushed himself when he saw a figure walking down to greet him. The teenage boy was only 19, but he showed some semblance to him. His hair was curly and shiny with dark blonde tresses and his eyes were the same beautiful shade of green. There was a mark under his left eye, a red angled mark. He had a nice, athletic body, yet he was a bit slender and smaller. He wore a very loose black muscle shirt and tight jeans, and there were a few marks for where he got zapped by his machines.
"Karl... y-you're home." The boy smiled, a twinkle in his eyes.
"Tommy." The lovely major smiled, setting down his bags. "You are... you are simply gorgeous."
"Karl!" Thomas bound into his older brother's arms, in a touching embrace. Happy tears streaked down Thomas's pink cheeks as he embraced his brother with warmth and love. "Karl! You are home!"
"Yes, Tommy. I am home. On leave." Karl smiled at his younger sibling, a warm, gentle smile.
The cat inside the carrier meowed, alerting her owner that she was still inside. The 24-year-old Major chuckled and opened the pet carrier, a pure black Birman walked out and sniffed around.
"Tinkerbell, I didn't know you were awake."
"Karl, let's take your stuff upstairs. Then we can talk... alone." Thomas spoke softly, taking Karl's hand in his.
"Where's our parents? They should know that I am home."
"They went to the marketplace for a while, they'll be back."
"Oh. Well, in that case." Karl picked up the bags and the empty pet carrier and walked upstairs, following his brother. The door to Karl's old bedroom opened, everything was right where he left it. Trophies of Karl's achievements littered the room, there was no signs of a childhood anywhere, not even a stuffed animal. There was a desk to the side, where Karl did all his studies. There was a computer here and books on academics there, a martial arts gi was off to the side, and with it, a black belt and tournament trophies.
"It would actually do a bit of good for me to lie down in something other than a military cot." Karl smiled as he set the bags down on the desk, then he felt a hand slide on his cheek from behind with a lover's touch. The elegant major turned around into the arms of his younger brother, seeing Thomas blushing before him as he gazed into his eyes. Their bodies pressed together, but Karl could feel Thomas's hesitation.
"I've kept your room clean since you left for Vaskuyard." Thomas whispered softly, feeling Karl's finger slide into his fine curly locks of dark blonde hair. "I knew you would return, I had faith that you would."
"There has been a lot happening, Tommy. I'm counting all the lucky stars in the sky I made it out alive." The sparkle in Karl's eyes seemed to take a sorrowful turn. "I pray that you wouldn't have to go through the same thing, Little Tommy."
"...that.... is open to debate." Thomas sadly looked away, his own expression turning sorrowful. "....muter and vater signed me up to Vaskuyard as well."
"....." The effeminate Major's eyes closed tightly, his grip on Thomas's black sirt tightened, but despite the fact that he was getting angry, it was fading. Replaced by sorrow and berievement, Karl opened his eyes to reveal to his sibling that they were watering. "....but I thought...."
"I said to them that I wanted to be like you, Karl. Vater immediately jumped up and said 'Thomas, you're going to Vaskuyard.'"
"You don't want to be like me, Thomas. Once you see how painful war is, you will know that I do not wish this on anyone. These feelings of sorrow, mourning... the losses, the deaths, the struggles and the strife. To one day wake up to find that your second in command had been killed in his sleep...."
"No. I-it's not that... I...." The 18-year-old leaned in closer to his brother, his eyes sparkling and moistening with the approaching kiss. "...I didn't tell them the truth, my brother. I wanted to be with you. I love you, Karl. More than brothers."
"Tommy." Slowly, he lied his brother on the bed, feeling the soft sheets against his bare hands. The younger sibling grabbed Karl's uniform hat and flung it to the side, unmindful that it was now hanging off a trophy. Karl leaned downward, and softly their lips touched. Then the kiss turned full-throated, with tongue to spare. Tinkerbell wandered into the room, and jumped onto the desk, making herself at home as her owner and his brother made love on his bed.
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The front door opened and the butler stepped inside, the old man looked around to see it was still dark. Soon to enter was an older man with long, brown hair in a ponytail and Victorian clothes, with him was a middle-aged woman, fair-skinned with blonde hair and green eyes.
"Thomas must still be in his lab." The man sighed, then set the groceries down in the kitchen. The parents were alerted when the old butler shouted in glee.
"Master Karl, you have returned from the war!"
The middle-aged lady rushed into the foyer to see Karl standing on the staircase, wearing a button-down shirt and jeans, looking like he just woke from a nap.
"Karl! You're home!"
"Yes, muter." Karl smiled as his mother hugged him tightly.
"Where is your brother?"
"Taking a nap. When I came home, we talked and we must have fallen asleep."
The father smiled and patted his son on the back. "Well, you did have a long travel back... rest is good for the blood. Tell Thomas to get ready for dinner."
"Yes, vater." Karl walked back upstairs into the bedroom, where Thomas was just waking up, the moonlight shining on his petite body.
"Karl?"
"I'm here, my little one." Karl smiled gently as his hand caressed Thomas's.
Before another word was said, the brothers kissed again.