Who We Are (The Seafare Chronicles 2)

“Sorry. I meant to say Otter. Geez. Take it down a couple of notches, big guy. You made your point. Bear’s yours and you’re his, and you’ll maim and murder anyone who thinks otherwise. Who knew the caveman mentality was still a real thing?”

“Uh, Isaiah, it’s probably a good time not to say anything further,” I say.

“Sit down, meet the guys, but for the love of all that’s holy, shut your trap for, like, six seconds.”

“I need another beer,” Otter mutters, stalking off toward the bar.

“I’ll go with you,” David says, obviously want to help. The bastard. I glare at his back as he trails after Otter. Isaiah notices this but says nothing.

“Did you really kiss Bear?” Jordan asks suspiciously, as Isaiah took a seat on my right.

Isaiah shrugs. “It’s not like it meant anything. We’re friends.”

Muscles Magoo laughs. “Then you obviously don’t know Otter.”

“I think we established that when I introduced myself to him,” Isaiah says dryly.

Jordan shakes his head. “What he means is, if you’d known Otter and his history with Bear, you’d have known that kissing Bear was the dumbest idea you’ve probably ever had.”

“Let me guess,” Isaiah says. “Long story?”

Beer Me shrugs, chugging down what looks like his seventh beer. “I never met Bear before today, and I don’t know Otter real well. But even I know you don’t fuck around with Bear. Otter’s like… like… like totally in

love with the guy.” Beer Me shakes his head like he doesn’t get it. “To each their own, I guess.”

Gee, thanks, Beer Me.

“What he means is that Otter has been in love with Bear forever,”

Jordan continues. “Now that he’s finally got him, he’s not letting go. Otter’s very… protective of those that he thinks are his. It might be slightly misguided, but it comes from a good place. And if there’s one person you do not want to fuck with, it’s Otter.”

“You don’t say,” Isaiah says, looking so supremely bored that I want to smack him across the face. “And what about that guy that went with him to get a beer? The one that’s holding onto his elbow and laughing with him?

Does he know this too?”

We all follow Isaiah’s line of sight and see David and Otter standing at the bar, David’s hand latched onto Otter’s arm, David leaning in and saying something that makes Otter laugh and shake his head. Otter’s shoulders lose their rigidness, and he doesn’t try to pull away from David’s grip.

“That’s my little brother’s teacher,” I grumble.

“Pot, meet kettle,” Isaiah says as he rubs his jaw. “He’s hot for your man, it seems like.”

“They’ve got history,” Beer Me stage-whispers.

“And David hasn’t really gotten over it,” Guy With Glasses says.

“Oh, please,” Mini Me scoffs. “It lasted, like, six months five years ago.

David needs to grow up and move on.”

“Some people are hard to forget,” Muscles Magoo adds.

“Not that it matters,” Jordan says, glancing back at me. “Otter’s not stupid. Especially after that little show he just provided.” His eyes grow stern. “Did you kiss him back?” he asks me.

I shake my head.

“Bear maintained his innocence,” Isaiah says, patting me on the hand.

“He’s a one-man kind of guy.” The others start talking among themselves, and he leans over and says for only me to hear, “You okay?”