It’s easy to hate from a distance, to pinpoint their differences, their sins, and build them up to be larger than life. To be villains. With that kind of hate, it’s so easy to build up or tear down people in your head. They stop being people altogether and become the enemy.
In this moment, Monroe, Winry, and Jasper are all too real. I see the blatant love in the way they check in with each other, in the gentle ribbing and sharp words that evolve to them chatting easily. It reminds me of how I interact with my brothers, and isn’t that a bitch of a realization?
When it comes right down to it, they think the same things about us that we think about them. That we’re monsters. That they have to go to great lengths to protect their people from us.
It’s not a comfortable realization.
This is a side of Monroe I’ve never seen before, one that is tender and protective in turns. I don’t know how to fit the puzzle piece into the hellion that I’ve interacted with up to this point. I don’t know why I’m even trying. Who gives a shit if she loves her family?
Even monsters have families.
I jolt as the doors fly open, and Cohen stalks into the room. He gives the trio a long look and jerks his thumb at the door. “All right, kids. Playtime’s over. Get back to your rooms.”
Jasper puts his hands on Winry’s and Monroe’s shoulders and smiles at them. “You’re doing great. Hang in there.”
Monroe covers his hand with hers and glares. “If you look like this next time I see you, I’m going to cut off Ezekiel’s cock and shove it down his throat.”
I flinch. Even Cohen misses a step at the vehemence in her tone. Jasper just grins and pulls her into a quick hug. He turns and strides from the room. All that said, that’s less interesting to me than Winry and Cohen. They circle each other widely, her going so far as to round the couch on her way to the door. She doesn’t so much as glance at him. But he watches her like he wants to pounce.
I’ve never seen my brother look at someone like that before.
It’s disconcerting in the extreme.
He barely waits for Winry to shut the door behind her before he turns on me and Monroe. “What the fuck was that about?”
Monroe lifts her brows. “Are you sure you want me here for this? Seems like a family affair.”
He gives me a look and turns to her. “I don’t give a shit what your plans are or what you’re trying to accomplish. You fuck over Shiloh, I’m going to fuck you up.”
I expect her to do what anyone else when faced with a threat like that from Cohen would do—back up, flinch, show some kind of fear. I really should know better by now.
Monroe laughs in his face. “You Paine boys. You’re so predictable. It’s honestly pathetic.”
“Monroe,” I caution. Abel’s warning is still ringing in my ears. The directive to take care of my Monroe problem before someone else does it for me. Provoking Cohen is a really fucked up way to commit suicide. No matter how fierce she is, she can’t take my brother.
“Do not say my name in that tone of voice.” The look she gives me is pure venom. “Have either of you assholes asked Shiloh what she wants? Have you considered that she’s an adult who’s more than capable of making her own decisions?” She switches her attention to Cohen. “No. You haven’t. You’re too busy threatening little old me, trying to protect someone who doesn’t need your protection.”
“You don’t know what you’re talking about. You haven’t seen—”
“The scars on her legs.” She says it flatly, for once not seeming to enjoy that she’s shocked me. “I’ve seen them.”
Cohen crosses his arms over his chest. “She tell you how she got them?” Like me, my brother knows the basics of what Shiloh survived as a child. We’ve taken in all kinds of people over the years, but Cohen vets each one of them to ensure they’re not adding to our already plentiful roster of enemies.
“Yes.” The word is still too flat. Too…angry.
Surely I’m misinterpreting. I must be. Because only a fool would look at her reaction and actually believe she’s feeling protective of Shiloh. It’s all an act. It has to be. “Then you know she deserves better than to be fucked with.”
Monroe snorts. “Her past doesn’t mean she’s not capable of making her own decisions. Respect them.”
Cohen jerks his thumb toward the door. “Get out.”
“Happily.”
We both watch her leave. He barely lets me sigh before he’s in my face. “What the fuck were you thinking?”
I’m getting really fucking tired of my brothers acting like this. I know I haven’t handled this situation as ideally as possible, but that doesn’t change the fact that none of them would be successful going toe-to-toe with Monroe. “You’re going to have to be more specific.”