Say It
This is my first time writing for Andrew (Pope) Cody from Animal Kingdom. I really had fun with this one and I'm hoping to write more for Pope if anyone would be interested.
Please let me know what you think.
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Main Masterlist
Summary: While everyone is round at Smurf's house, Andrew tries relaxing with (Y/n). But one of his brothers slips up and puts Andrew's son in danger.
Enjoy.
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"We won't stay long."
(Y/n) found herself nodding along to those words that seemed to be Andrew's trademark whenever they came here to his childhood, family home.
She knew he was speaking for his own comfort as well as hers. Andrew wasn't keen on coming here all that often, especially on the odd occasions when none of his brothers would be here. He didn't want to be around Smurf on his own, at the mercy of her twisted words that always tried to make him feel in need of her and have him falling back into her clutches again.
Today was supposed to be a family day though, and they both knew that if they didn't turn up- or at least, if Andrew didn't turn up- then there would be a lot of backlash for it. If they were having a party or a family dinner, then the whole family was expected to turn up.
Everyone knew that Smurf had never really seen Kath as family, she saw her as a problem, an outsider who knew too much and caused too many problems. And while (Y/n) wasn't seen so much as an outsider, she was seen as competition in Smurf's eyes.
(Y/n) was with Andrew, she loved him and helped him break away from the chains his mother had bound him in. She helped him gain back a bit of freedom and showed him what love and a true family felt like. Smurf resented (Y/n) for the loss of control she now had over Andrew.
With a tender smile laced across her lips, (Y/n) tilted her head to the left to look across at Andrew.
He had pulled up in the drive over three minutes ago, but he hadn't made the move to get out of the jeep yet. He was plucking up the nerve and all the calmness he needed to spend a few hours around his chaotic family. Andrew was better when he was busy, when he was cleaning up after his brothers or sorting out the equipment they needed for a job. He was even better when he was on a job, like it was his element where he thrived.
She caught that little glimmer in his eyes when he turned to face her. One look at his wife was enough to make Andrew feel serene and back in control again.
(Y/n) pursed her lips, her breath catching in the back of her throat when Andrew's hand reached out towards her and his index finger hooked in the low V-neckline of her faded yellow summer dress. A dress that was more of a shawl with how low cut it was and the way it hung off her shoulders and stopped short of her knees.
She wore this one not only because Andrew loved it, but because it was loose and easy to have over the top of her bikini. After all, this was a family day, not a big Cody party and that meant it was only close family and the odd friend scattered about. They would be able to go in the pool; usually at a party (Y/n) didn't dare go in the pool because it was full of drunken idiots who liked to mess about to the extreme.
She thought for a moment that Andrew was going to pull the dress down and get another look at her bikini. Instead, he used it as leverage to pull her closer. Making her lean over the console so he was within range to steal a kiss from her lips.
He groaned against her lips when he felt her hand reach up to cup his jawline and the feeling of her thumb tracing his cheekbone made him shudder.
When they finally parted, (Y/n) glanced down and adjusted the front of her dress before she clambered down from the truck.
"Alright, come here mister."
Andrew opened the back door to the jeep and leaned in, a soft smile spreading across his lips when his sights set on his little boy.
The toddler looked tired, he hadn't had an afternoon nap yet and a yawn escaped his lips, but he happily stretched out his arms now that he realised they were at their destination.
As soon as he was unclipped from the car seat, Noah pushed until he was scooped up into Andrew's arms, clinging to his neck with his cheek pressed against his dad's shoulder, binding them both together. Clearly he was tired enough that he wanted to be carried for a while, and that was perfectly fine with Andrew.
From the moment Noah had been born, he had been the light in Andrew's otherwise darkened soul.
He barely used to set Noah down in his cot when he was a baby and on the nights when his insomnia played up, Andrew would sit in the rocking chair in the nursery. He had spent hours just watching his baby sleep, making sure he was okay, as if he were a protector chasing away the bad dreams.
If anyone ever tried to hold Noah, they would soon find Andrew standing behind them, staring over their shoulder to make sure they were holding his baby properly and were being careful with him. One look was all it took for everyone to hand Noah back to Andrew when he'd had enough of sharing his family with them.
He settled Noah on his right hip, holding him with one arm as he locked the jeep and made his way over to where (Y/n) was waiting.
He felt his heart calming down when her hands curled around his bicep and she leaned into his side, perching her chin on his shoulder so she could press a sweet kiss to his cheek.
He tried to calm his unsettled nerves when they headed into the house. It seemed that they were the last ones to arrive. Deran and Baz's cars were already in the drive, along with Craig's motorbike and Andrew was sure that Jay's bike would be in the garage already. Everyone was here. That made him even more certain that they wouldn't be staying for too long.
Just long enough to show their faces, have a chat and get something to eat. Then they would go home.
"Go say hi to grandma Smurf." Andrew leant forward once they were in the kitchen and set Noah down to his feet so the two year old could trot over to Smurf who was doing some last minute cooking preparations.
He knew Noah would take up Smurf's attention and then he and (Y/n) could head out into the garden without any awkward encounters.
The music was loud. It was the first thing (Y/n) took note of when they headed into the garden. The speakers must have been turned up on full blast. She knew the neighbours would be used to the Cody's by now, the noise, the drama, the comings and goings of them all and the visitors that would often turn up, sometimes in the dead of night. And of course the police raids and visits. But still, the music must have been blasting through their houses too.
After a quick survey of the garden, (Y/n) uncurled her hands from Andrew's arm, almost feeling bad when he gave her that certain look with a creased brow and pouted lips. Uncertain why she had just let go of him; Andrew often grounded himself to reality by (Y/n)'s touch.
He realised why she'd taken a step to the side when his brothers aimed their way.
(Y/n) knew they would approach and drag Andrew into whatever conversation or debate they were having and she didn't need to be a part of that.
Though none of the Cody brothers would dare ask (Y/n) to leave during their conversations about their 'jobs'. Not like they did to Nicki or any other girlfriends that hung around the house. All of them knew if they dared to tell (Y/n) to go- though she might do as they asked- Andrew would have their heads.
He had no secrets from his wife and he trusted her; she was one of them.
(Y/n) slung her bag to the floor and perched herself on an empty deck chair a few feet away from the pool.
With her legs curled beneath her and a pair of sunglasses perched on her nose, (Y/n) sank back and looked towards the house.
She could see Andrew out the corner of her eye, he was being goaded into playing ball in the pool and when he sighed and started shrugging off his shirt, they all knew they had won him over.
He glanced over his shoulder until he caught (Y/n)'s eye, offering her that quirked half smile before he dove into the pool.
A smile wormed its way onto (Y/n)'s lips when her eyes set on her little boy, toddling out the house into the garden with Smurf right behind him. And in his hands he was proudly holding a paper plate like some kind of offering.
He was a little unsteady on his feet, always kicking his legs out rather than bending his knees as he walked, but he was fast. He must have kicked off his shoes somewhere in the house because he was bare foot now, splashing through the puddles on the patio as he made a beeline towards (Y/n).
Once he reached her, Noah stood at the side of her chair and thrust the paper plate towards her until the contents almost spilled across her lap.
"For me?"
"For mama." Noah confirmed with a beaming smile, although when he leant his chest against her thigh, he did reach across and take the cupcake from the plate. Leaving (Y/n) the slab of chocolate cake that Smurf must have made this morning in preparation for this little party.
Noah took after Andrew in a lot of ways, but especially with how attached he was to (Y/n). He loved to present her with things, most likely because he saw his dad always doing it too. Andrew brought home flowers or little trinkets he had seen just because he thought (Y/n) would like them. Sometimes when pulling a job, Andrew tucked some of the jewellery in his back pocket if it was dazzling enough to catch his eye and make him think of (Y/n).
So naturally Noah liked to bestow things on his mum too. He gave her drawings, he enjoyed baking and giving things to (Y/n) to taste test. A lot of the time when Andrew came home, he would place something in Noah's hands so the toddler could run to (Y/n) and give her a gift.
With the plate resting in one hand, she opened her other arm to the side and parted her knees so Noah could clamber onto the chair with her. He sat between her legs, his back resting up against her chest as he tucked into the bright pink frosting that instantly smeared all across his face.
***
"Andrew- no, you're soaking-"
(Y/n)'s eyes snapped closed behind her sunglasses and her shoulders tensed up, bracing herself for the cold when Andrew approached her with the smallest of smiles that meant the world to her.
Streams of water cascaded down from him as he crossed from the pool towards the deck chair she was perched on. Shivers sparked within (Y/n)'s nerves when the gushing water splashed onto her. She braced her arms in front of her, although not quite sure why or what she was anticipating, as Andrew loomed over her.
She wasn't expecting him to kneel on the chair in between her legs. His hands were frozen cold when they curled around her thighs after coursing through his hair to brush the sopping curls to the back of his head.
With little effort, Andrew pushed her thighs apart enough to slot himself in between them so he could gracefully slouch down on top of her.
His eyes shone when he felt (Y/n) shivering beneath him, goosebumps rising on her skin as his cold body pressed on top of her and transferred the chlorine water onto her. He didn't see the problem; he wanted to sit and hug his wife, and she was wearing a bikini beneath that dress that was more of a swim shawl anyway.
She had dressed for the pool, for the anticipation of getting in the water which she hadn't done yet, so Andrew was simply bringing the water to her.
Once she felt like she had aclimatised to the drop in temperature, (Y/n) lowered her arms down so they were loosely draped around the back of Andrew's neck and shoulders. Her chin lolled forwards until she was looking down at Andrew.
The way he stared up at her with those innocent eyes that seemed to hold the whole world within them, it made (Y/n)'s heart soar in her chest. All he had to do was look at her and bat those lashes and Andrew could get whatever he wanted, and they both knew it.
His chin pressed down against the top of her chest so he could look up at her, with water cascading down his face from his hair and collecting in a small puddle on (Y/n)'s sternum.
"What? I missed you."
That earned a small laugh from (Y/n) as she pressed a quick kiss to his temple. "Really, from all the way over there?"
There was barely five foot distance between (Y/n) and the pool, it wasn't like they had been all the way across town or separated by an ocean. But it was still cute and endearing and (Y/n) couldn't stop the grin that spread across her lips.
"Yes." He stated matter-of-factly before punctuating the word with a kiss to her warm lips.
She wriggled a little, shimmying down the chair to try and get comfy and accomodate Andrew since he was now laid directly in between her thighs with his upper body glued against hers. The water made her dress stick to his bare chest and their legs felt like they had fused together; it was going to be harder than usual when she eventually would have to persuade Andrew to let her get up from this embrace.
"Where's Noah?" Andrew turned his head, meshing his cheek down against (Y/n)'s chest just beneath her collar bone so he could glance around him.
He'd lost track of the two year old while he had been in the pool. Noah had tried to ask Andrew to pick him up so he could join them in the pool, but he'd told his boy to wait a while. They were in the middle of a game and Andrew knew how his brothers could get; they were ruthless and lethal and he didn't want Noah in the pool when they were all messing around.
They usually caused a ruckus and Noah was a toddler, he was only just grasping how to swim. When he was in the pool he preferred for Andrew to hold him and swim with Noah clinging to his chest. Which Andrew would be more than happy to comply with after a break.
"He followed Jay into the kitchen on the promise of some more cake."
"There'll be none left," Andrew muttered, though his lips were almost quirking into a smile.
There weren't too many good things about this family, but when they all had days where they came together like this, there was always food. Food brought them together, it was one of the ways they celebrated after a job went well.
And Smurf was a good cook, everyone knew and praised her for that, she preferred cooking than buying pre-prepared food. Both Lena and Noah loved the desserts and cakes she would make, if allowed Noah would sit and eat his weight in cake. So it wasn't surprising that when he had followed Jay around for a while, his cousin said he would find him some cake which instantly brought a grin to Noah's lips.
After a few minutes, Andrew caught sight of his toddler, clearly having demolished some more cake because Jay was following behind him, trying to hand him a wipe too clean some of the chocolate from his face.
His eyes followed his boy, head craning to keep an eye on him, partially to make sure he didn't slip or fall into the pool and partially to keep a check on where he was wandering, just to be safe.
Andrew liked to know where his family were; at all times. It was one of his many ways of keeping (Y/n) and Noah safe. He liked having them close by and seeing where they were and what they were doing, even here at his family home, he was still on alert.
Although with (Y/n)'s hand tangled in his hair, her nails scratching his scalp as she ruffled through his crimped curls, he couldn't help but close his eyes.
He had seen Noah head towards Lena's direction, clearly about to try and play with her. He was fine, Andrew didn't have to worry.
Despite the raging music in the air, (Y/n) felt calm enough that she could have fallen asleep. Every now and then she kept opening her eyes to look around, checking where Noah and Lena were to make sure she didn't end up nodding off.
Lying here with Andrew braced around her like some kind of protective blanket was much the same as how they would be at home. He had moved down a little, his head further down her sternum, cheek still meshed up against her dress that was only slightly damp now rather than sopping wet.
The pelting sun had dried Andrew off in a short time. His hair had dried crimped like he had endured a perm and (Y/n) tried to focus herself to keep dragging her fingers through his hair, knowing he found it soothing. Just like she knew he was listening to her heartbeat right now because that was also a sound he found calming.
His feet were dangling over the edge of the deck hair, toes touching the floor while he had wormed his arms around (Y/n)'s waist. One hand was pinned up against her back in between her and the chair, while the other was occasionally squeezing, cupping and tracing over her hip.
For someone who always liked to be on the move or cleaning or doing something to occupy himself, Andrew could remain calm and idle like this if (Y/n) was next to him. It surprised his brothers to see him lying there, so calm and on the verge of sleep.
"You two gonna get something to eat?"
Andrew barely cracked one eye open, looking at his mother for the briefest of seconds before he huffed and closed his eyes again, staying exactly where he was.
"Later. M'busy." Despite the slur to his words from his face being meshed up against (Y/n)'s middle, they heard him alright.
(Y/n) tried her best not to smile as she continued to card her fingers through his hair, moving her other arm so she could begin to glide her hand up and down Andrew's back. The light touch oer his spine made him shiver and he hummed.
"You're busy?" There was an air of humour to Smurf's voice, but (Y/n) didn't dare look over at her just in case she had that glint in her eye.
She liked (Y/n) as a person but simultaneously loathed her for being with Andrew. For being the person he would go to instead of Smurf; for being the person he loved who loved him without asking anything of him in return.
"Extremely." Andrew drawled, not bothering to open his eyes this time as his tone clearly ended that brief conversation.
When she heard Lena's voice close by, (Y/n) opened her eyes and looked around for her niece. She was aiming towards Baz, who was sat on the edge of the pool with his feet dangling in the water, alongside Deran.
(Y/n)'s lips pursed as she looked around for Noah, he had been playing with Lena for a good while now, he should be somewhere nearby. (Y/n) was always relieved that Noah liked to be within eyesight of either parent. She would hate for him to wander the house, even with everyone here. (Y/n) knew they kept stashes all around the house and God knows what else Smurf had hidden away. Not to mention the drugs Craig would often leave lying around.
She smiled when Noah finally came within her sights, wandering away from the open patio doors to the house and back into the garden again. He must have realised Lena had wandered off and everyone else was still gathered outside.
(Y/n) was a split second away from closing her eyes, knowing that Noah would aim towards her and Andrew, when something caught her eye.
"Oh my God!"
Her shriek cut across the music blasting through the garden, catching the attention of every Cody and drawing their sights to her.
(Y/n)'s skin bristled with goosebumps and her frame went rigid and taut, her stomach tight and creased as her shoulders jolted forward. Her hand dropped from Andrew's hair so fast that her ring snagged on a curl and accidentally jolted his head backwards as she moved to grab at his shoulders.
"Andrew!" She pushed at his broad shoulders, trying to move him and gain his attention, though his frame was as hard as a brick wall and uneasy to shift.
"What? What?"
Terror struck Andrew's chest and curdled his stomach at the tone of (Y/n)'s voice. His entire body went on red alert, his mind on overdrive to come up with scenarios and a plan even though he didn't know what the threat was.
His hands pressed down into the chair they both occupied and he pushed up until he was kneeling in between her thighs, his head scanning the garden until he got a crick in his neck from the rapid movements. But the moment he caught where she was clearly looking, his entire expression shifted.
Noah.
The two year old was stood to one side near the unused barbecue in front of the fence, with a gun in his hands.
From this distance, (Y/n) tried to tell herself it was just a toy, but instinct told her otherwise. The Cody's weren't the type of family to go around playing with toy guns or replicas. Their extent was paintball guns or Nerf guns which they only got so they could annoy one another; Noah was too young to join in and play with those.
No one had ever given him a replica or a toy gun because for one they didn't really see the point and two, Andrew would never have allowed it. He didn't want his boy being exposed to that side of their family. Noah had never seen Andrew's guns or seen his dad holding one; he only watched them playing Nerf gun fights on the odd occasion.
The toddler had stopped walking towards them, clearly intrigued by what he had found. He was staring down at the gun, examining it like he was trying to figure out where the orange foam darts should have been like a Nerf gun.
"Holy shit." Deran and Baz stumbled to their feet, though they were apprehensive of going towards Noah. They didn't want to stun or frighten him or reach for the gun and have it go off accidentally.
Andrew's expression hardened as if he had been turned to stone. His brows furrowed, pupils constricting as his sight turned to tunnel vision that was focused only on his boy and the danger he was now in.
Both hands clenched into fists at his sides as he climbed off the chair, his frame taut with raised shoulders and every muscle in his back on display.
"Noah put it down. Now."
There was a guttural, cold edge to Andrew's voice that didn't sound like his own anymore. His words were sharp enough that they could have sliced through skin, and Andrew hated himself for it.
He had never spoken to his little boy like that before. He'd never raised his voice in front of Noah, let alone to him. But he needed Noah to drop it. Right now. He needed that gun on the floor, out of his son's reach before it went off and caused an injury or a fatality. Andrew knew Noah was only being curious, he thought he'd found a strange new toy, not a lethal weapon.
Noah's eyes snapped up to look at his dad and immediately upon seeing Andrew's curled upper lip, hollow eyes and the twitching muscle in his cheek, he knew something was drastically wrong.
Tears immediately began to well up in Noah's eyes and a cry erupted past his lips as he began to shake.
"Down!"
His entire frame jumped, feet almost leaving the floor before he raised his arms up in a jerking motion, releasing the gun the moment his dad shouted.
It dropped to the concrete tiles immediately, bouncing and clattering near Noah's feet but the toddler was already stepping back as if afraid he was going to get clipped round the ear for whatever he was presumed to have done wrong.
Whimpers tumbled past Noah's lips as he bound his hands together in front of him, pressing his arms against his chest like he was trying to give himself a comforting hug to feel better. He could barely see due to the tears that were now streaming down his face and a deep whine left his lips.
He didn't dare move when Deran skidded across the tiles towards him, being the closest, but he didn't try and comfort his nephew. He didn't think he was the right person for that and he didn't know if he would get Andrew's wrath if he tried.
Deran snatched the gun from the floor and stepped back, giving it a little wave in Andrew's direction to show that he now had it safely, but Andrew wasn't paying him attention; he was aiming for Noah.
"Jesus, isn't this yours?" Deran hissed, voice quiet but laced with fury as he made sure the safety was on the gun before he waved it in Craig's direction.
"How did he get hold of that?" Fury laced through Smurf's tone as she looked at Craig, the look in her eyes enough to make him flinch even though his mum had barely gotten up off her deck chair.
Part of Andrew feared Noah might try and run away from him in fear; Andrew had never spoken to him like that and he never wanted his boy to be afraid of him. That was his biggest fear.
But he didn't give Noah the chance to step away or become afraid. Andrew bent down and scooped him up, settling Noah against his chest and binding them together. One hand reached up to cup the back of Noah's head and he pecked his temple, gently starting to shush him when the toddler let out another wail and started to hiccup through his cries.
His arms bound around Andrew's neck and his face smothered against the top of his chest, each cry rippling straight through to Andrew's heart and shook his ribcage until he was sure he could hear it rattling.
"It's okay, you're okay." His voice mellowed out this time, nothing but soothing and understanding as he took a few steps back so there was space between him and his brothers.
"Daddy…"
Noah pulled his head back just enough to look up at Andrew, eyes red and watering, lips wobbling to let out another whine. While he moved one hand to brush the back of his wrist against his eyes that were quickly becoming sore. It was clear that Noah was looking for confirmation, for some sign to see whether or not he was in trouble for something or whether he was okay now.
"I got you, you're not in trouble I promise."
His hand gently brushed and smoothed Noah's hair back while he gaged his expression, trying to make sure that his boy understood and knew that he wasn't being told off for anything he had done. He didn't want to shout but he couldn't play around and risk Noah hurting himself.
The toddler let his head flop back down against Andrew's shoulder, shaking as he tried to tuck himself tighter in his embrace and become invisible.
With his cheek resting on top of Noah's head, Andrew turned and aimed back towards (Y/n).
He could see the tears in her eyes and how she was trying to stop herself from shaking. Fear was evident in her features, about what had just happened, what could have happened if they hadn't noticed or got the gun off of Noah in time.
She took a shaky breath when Andrew bent over and carefully eased Noah down into her arms. Her lips attached to his temple, cradling him close as he curled up and clung to her dress, almost pulling it down over her shoulders with his grip to try and stay attached to her.
"It's okay baby, you're okay," (Y/n) soothed, gently rocking from left to right while she glanced up at Andrew.
There was a frightening, murderous look in his eyes that worried her to no end. He looked volatile, like he was about to do something he might just regret.
Her eyes followed him in fear as he bent down and grabbed his shirt that had been tucked under the chair along with (Y/n)'s bag. For a moment she wasn't sure what he was up to or what was going through his head, until Andrew stood up again and passed the car keys from his shirt pocket, into (Y/n)'s palm.
"Go get in the car; we're leaving."
Part of her wanted to object, she wanted to take Andrew's hand and pull him with her. But (Y/n) knew that wasn't going to work, she could see that he would only bottle this up and blow a fuse later on. He had to talk to Craig first, and (Y/n) didn't want to witness that nor did she want Noah to be within earshot when it happened.
With a silent nod, she slung her bag on her shoulder, took Andrew's shirt and got to her feet with Noah cradled in her arms. Her lips stayed glued to his temple, trying to soothe him because he was still sobbing and whimpering into her chest.
She felt Andrew's hand linger on her hip as she passed him and the feel of his lips ghosting against the back of her head. On her way past, she heard Smurf murmur "Bye baby," to Noah who only whimpered in response.
Fury lingered within Andrew's veins the moment the back gate clicked and he knew (Y/n) and Noah were in the car. Out of sight. Out of earshot.
His hands twitched and curled at his sides, going from fists to stretching out in spasms and intervals. He rolled his shoulders and his neck, trying to take a deep breath but it didn't feel possible when his lungs were threatening to explode.
All he could see was red when his eyes zoned in on Craig. He didn't spare Baz one look when he tried to give him that certain expression that told Andrew to leave it. As if he could. What would Baz do if it had been Lena who got that gun instead of Noah? Probably not a lot, Andrew reasoned, given that he wasn't the most involved father.
"Pope, you don't have to leave."
He ignored him. His sights were still set on Craig who he advanced towards until the younger brother was stepping back as if he might try and flee into the house. Not that had ever worked throughout their lives.
"It was an accident-"
His words cut off when Andrew's hand fisted in his long scraggly hair, yanking him close until his scalp burned and his neck cricked. Despite being shorter, Andrew was far more imposing. All of them had been afraid of him all their lives. They knew he could be ruthless, he could be cruel for no reason at all so they knew he was volatile when he had a good reason.
He yanked Craig down until they were face to face, Andrew's lip curling as he sneered at him and pointed a finger directly at his face.
"A fucking accident? My boy isn't even three yet, that gun could have killed him. You leave a loaded gun around for a toddler to find? What the fuck is wrong with you?"
They were all aware that Lena and Noah came here a lot, that they came to family occasions like this. Andrew wasn't pleased that any of them would bring their guns here, to the house where they were safest with their security cameras and the gates. Not to mention there were weapons hidden away here for such emergencies as a gun required. They didn't need to bring extra ammo like that.
But to leave his gun lying around, to not put it in one of the safes in the house or lock it away in his room, it was unbelievable. And Andrew had seen Deran check the clip which had been loaded. He left a loaded gun lying around for a little boy to take.
It wasn't surprising that Noah would take it, he was curious and his uncles were always giving him toys to play with and showing off their paintball guns and Nerf guns.
Craig gritted his teeth, getting a crick in his neck from the angle Andrew was holding him at which made his spine click and ache from stooping forward. But when he tried to whack his hand out to make his brother relent, he found Andrew's other hand at his throat and he groaned.
"I didn't think he'd go and get it!"
"So it's his fault?" There was a dangerous glint in Andrew's narrowed eyes as he looked down at Craig, tilting his head to one side.
Was he going to blame Noah for this? Did he really think Andrew would stand for that, for his boy to not only be put at harm but also be blamed for it too?
Craig's silence was answer enough and how he kept darting his eyes down at the floor so he didn't have to stare at his elder brother. He wasn't exactly blaming Noah, but he hadn't left it around with the intention of someone taking it. Let alone his nephew finding it.
"Go on, say it. Say it! Say it's Noah's fault, fucking say it!"
"Pope, maybe just-" Deran cringed and took an involuntary step back when Andrew's fist rammed up into Craig's face. They all heard the sickening snap; that crunch which meant his nose was now broken.
Blood streamed down Craig's lips and down his chin, a few specks splattered past his lips when he coughed.
He couldn't do anything when Andrew brought his knee up into his abdomen, and the shock made it easy enough for Andrew to have Craig pinned to the floor within a split second. He was ready to land another blow to Craig's face when hands bound around his arms and yanked him back, pulling and heaving until Andrew was no longer hovering over one brother.
"That's enough!"
Smurf's voice cut through the air but it made no difference, Andrew wasn't going to fight anymore. He just wanted to leave. He wasn't hanging around if Noah was going to get the blame for this, and he wouldn't be around any of them if they didn't let him give Craig what he deserved. He needed to be punished, he needed to be taught a valuable lesson.
With one brother holding each arm, Andrew leaned back into them so he could lift his right leg and send his bare foot into Craig's ribs, hoping that sound he heard was a rib fracturing.
He shrugged his arms to get them free from his brothers, and stepped to the side so they knew he wasn't going to do anything else.
"You could have fucking killed him."
He spat the words like they were vile on his tongue and he gave a shove towards Baz to get him out of his way.
With his shoulders hunched up in a hostile stance, is hands balled into fists at his sides and his bare feet pounding the tiled floor, Andrew aimed for the gate. He reached down to snatch his shoes on his way past, he could drive in his swim trunks and no shirt, but not without shoes on his feet.
He was just past the pool when he heard something he guessed he wasn't supposed to pick up on.
"I didn't think he'd grab it… the clip's not even full." The words were clearly spoken through a mouthful of blood, but Andrew heard them. And they caused him to become rooted to the spot.
One moment he was facing the gate, a few feet away from joining his family and taking them home to safety. Then the next, he had turned one hundred and eighty degrees and pelted back towards his brothers so fast they barely saw him move.
"Woah, woah Pope no-"
Confusion rattled through both Baz and Deran when they tried to aim for Andrew to stop him in his tracks. They had been certain that Craig- who they had just heaved up off the floor like a broken doll- would be Andrew's target.
He didn't aim for him. Andrew steered to the right, barging past Deran who lost his footing and collided with a deck chair in the process.
Rather than going round the chair that was in his path, Andrew clambered over the obstruction like it was a mere pebble in the road he was standing on. He had his sights set on the one thing that they had all chosen to ignore.
The gun which Deran had left on the little plastic table once he'd gotten it away from Noahs curious clutches.
He rammed his shoulders into his brother's frames, shoving and whacking to get past them to reach his target.
With a murderous look in his eyes that seemed to sparkle with darkness, Andrew clashed the end of the gun right down in the junction between Craig's neck and shoulder. The movement sent his nerves spiralling and Craig yelled, his knees caving as his body jolted down to the left just enough for Andrew to grab hold of him again.
"Pope give it up now." The curt tone to Baz's voice only infuriated Andrew further.
Craig put up a fight, but his height and build, though bigger than Andrew, were no match for his fury and strength. None of them ever liked fighting with Andrew when they were growing up. Craig and Deran fought one another constantly, Smurf pitted them against one another, but they didn't go for their eldest brother. They called him unhinged when they were growing up; he was ruthless in a manner they simply couldn't match.
The pair sent fists flying and Andrew took the punch to his cheekbone without flinching or a fuss. They tossed, tumbled and sent knees flying as they tumbled over one another trying to get the upper hand, getting dangerously close to the pool.
No one moved to intervene, none of them felt able when they saw Smurf's hand held out in a silent signal for them to remain exactly where they were. Lest they wanted to gain bruises and injuries themselves.
Andrew ended up with the upper hand. His knees imbedded into Craig's torso, pinning him in place beneath him.
But it was the click of the safety that caught everyone's attention and made them freeze. Even Jay, who had been stood to one side decisively not getting involved, had turned the music off at this point and stepped closer to Smurf for added back up if needed.
The gun was pressed against Craig's temple, directly in between his eyes. He held his hands up beside his head, ragged breaths leaving his lips as he stared up at his brother in absolute terror. His pupils were blown wide, skin lathered in sweat and blood while his chest heaved as much as it could with Andrew sat on top of him, pinning him to the floor.
"Are you sure the clip's empty?" Andrew heaved, spitting through the words as he glared down at his brother.
If he was so sure that he hadn't brought a loaded gun here, that this weapon was just for show to ward off any unwanted activity, then he would have no problem with Andrew taking aim and seeing whether or not it was true. He wouldn't gain an injury if he was right.
When he didn't receive an answer, he pushed the barrel down into Craig's skin until blood began to formulate beneath the skin and Craig hissed between gritted teeth.
"Shall we test it? See if my boy would've been safe if it went off in his hands? You've already blamed him for it; let's see if I'm just overreacting."
With each word spoken, Andrew's voice rose until he was yelling like a beast unleashed.
His index finger tightened around the trigger, moving the slightest fraction of an inch which Craig had noticed because he took a sharp breath, his frame jerking against the floor and twitching in terror. It didn't go unnoticed by the others who had now stepped closer. They couldn't stand and do nothing, Andrew was volatile and if he pulled that trigger a hairline fraction too much, they would lose a brother with no way to reverse it.
"Pope-"
"Jesus!"
It wasn't clear who shrieked when the gun went off, but everyone flinched and coiled inwards like they had suffered a fatal wound.
A sinister look flashed across Andrew's face that was so close to breaking out into a smile. At the last second, he'd shifted the gun to rest beside Craig's head, allowing the bullet to echo past his head and shoot into the pool.
With any luck, Craig's eardrum would have shattered from the close proximity to the shot. That would be a little commupence for what Noah had been through today, though Andrew would make sure that Craig made it up to his boy sooner or later.
Wrenching his arm back, Andrew tossed the gun into the pool and with a deep breath he heaved himself up to his bare feet, stepping over Craig who was subtly shaking against the ground. Both hands had come up to cradle his left ear that was ringing like their security alarms and he was sure he could feel a dribble of blood coating his fingers.
Andrew stood just to the side of his brother, swiping his mouth and nose against the back of his hand as his chest heaved to gain back the breath he'd exerted.
"Don't you ever put my son at risk again."
His tone was frightening, full of grit like his throat had been shredded to ribbons. But Craig nodded, he would agree and do anything if Andrew just left him alone now so he could sulk and feel sorry for himself.
Once again, Andrew turned around, not giving any of them a second glance as he aimed for the gates he wanted to get through this time without anymore trouble to reel him back in.
He was leaving. He was taking his family home, and he wasn't coming back here until they sorted their shit out.
