Our Own World: 1
https://www.tumblr.com/bangfantanfic/628048176464707584/our-own-world-2?source=sharehttps://www.tumblr.com/bangfantanfic/628048176464707584/our-own-world-2?source=shareWarnings: 18+ story, minors do not interact. Type: Romance/Dark romance/Yandere/Non-idol Au Word Count: 2,594. Edited Post: 24/05/24
You had grown up in one of the tightest knitted families you had ever known. Your mother was affectionate and clingy, and your father a doting father and husband. They had drilled into both your brother and your brains that family comes before all else, no matter what. Your therapist disagreed. Boundaries are important, and you need to set them. Easier said than done. Moving away to attend University had been your first step in putting some distance. Your parents weren't terrible people, they loved you dearly, and you and anyone with eyes could see it. They were just... a lot. They expected too much of you, wanted too much and when it couldn't be done their disappointment in you wasn't as well hidden as they believed it to be. You were often left burnt out, and far too critical of yourself (your therapist's words, not yours.)
Jay, your older brother and only other sibling, was their pride and joy. The son they had longed for. You were the other child to keep their son company-- despite the age gap. Jay had wanted a sibling, so he got one. Jay got everything he wanted. Your elder brother had never been denied anything in his life, not by your parents, and not by you. Saying 'no' to Jay was like kicking a baby in the face and taking its favorite toy, it certainly could be done, but for most, it was incredibly difficult to do. You had learned early on it was easiest to just smile and agree to whatever your brother asked of you.
Having any kind of boundaries with Jay was nearly impossible, and maybe it was better to listen to your therapist and go 'no contact' with him until you can say no to people. But if it were that easy, you would have declined, or at the very least ignored his phone calls. Going 'no contact' with your big brother was probably the smartest thing you could have done. But you weren't smart, not like Jay.
Your brother and his fiancée, Mila, had planned to travel to the Netherlands so he could properly meet her family. He had only met his future in-laws over Zoom. He wanted to meet his fiancée's family before the wedding, but his 'sitter' had canceled last minute. Jay, usually cool, calm, and collected, sounded so desperate on the phone you couldn't say no-- you were a people pleaser at heart.
So, on the 31st of March, your brother and Mila departed, leaving a thick envelope with house keys and all the information on his ‘babies’ needs, hidden in the shrubbery that lined the house. The couple had left before you arrived, and you were grateful that you could at least avoid one interaction with your brother. If you were smart about it, you could probably leave before they got back as well.
Your job here was simple enough, keep his pets alive and happy. Sure, you weren't an animal person and if you had been asked to do this a few years earlier you probably would've thrown yourself in front of a train sooner than agreeing to this, but you like to think you've matured at least a little over the past few years.
The animals weren’t your priority, you were more focused on finding where you would be spending the next month sleeping. Your brother owned a big modern house, with four bedrooms, a study downstairs, and enough land to build a city. The study had a fold-out couch which was made up and ready for you to claim. When you asked about the three extra rooms you were told they were occupied. When you asked ‘by who’, the idiot simply answered, “By nobody important."
It was a newly built house, and was decorated to his partner's taste; whites, greys, and occasional hunter green. It was a neat cluttered ‘style’, feeling homely and lived in. The house resided on a huge chunk of land with big gardens and green grass as far as you could see, a large pool sitting only a few feet away from the back door. It was a double-storey house, with the main master bedroom, two extra rooms, and a bathroom upstairs. The guest master bedroom where your brother and Mila resided was downstairs with its ensuite, and the study a few steps down the hall.
The kitchen was huge, the cabinets painted a blinding white, the black marble counters being the only thing to break up the whites. The dining room was a little moodier, large black lights hung from the room over the long dining table, and ten seats squeezed around the dark wooden table. Four on either side and one on either end.
There were two living rooms, one upstairs and one down. The downstairs living room has windows instead of walls allowing as much natural light as possible, and from what you could see through the millions of windows, the backyard was just as big as the front. The walls and shelves were lined with books, movies, video games, and photographs. Some of your brother and his partner, some of just her, and some of the men you had never seen before. Friends, you had concluded. The upstairs living room looked far more lived-in than the downstairs, with colorful bean bags and the sofa looked far more worn in than the matching one downstairs, with dozens of blankets on the large L-shaped sofa.
You spent the rest of the day 'unpacking' (laying on your bed) and going through all the books that were in the office and scattered throughout the rest of the house, most of you had read, others were about animal science and you honestly didn’t care to even take them off the shelves to flip through. You had noticed two expensive-looking PC setups in your 'bedroom', the whole thing probably cost more than your shitbox car in the front yard. You hadn't ever known your brother to be an avid gamer, so the expensive setup had you surprised, curious if maybe his partner was the gamer. You weren't much of a gamer, but you could appreciate just how much the two systems would have cost to build.
It wasn't until the sun was starting to set that you remembered the only job you had here; the animals. Sighing in annoyance, you wondered if it was too late to leave.
Your brother had fed them before he left-- breakfast and lunch he had said-- but you were to give them dinner. You had wanted to hit him for calling the feeding slots by breakfast, lunch, and dinner, but unfortunately, he was already in an Uber on the way to the airport.
Opening up the envelope you dropped onto the soft sofa, you decided you should probably read his instructions so you didn't fuck up and potentially kill one of his pets. The last thing you needed was your family on your ass for an accident that could have been avoided.
The envelope was thick, which was slightly concerning. But choosing to look past it for now you plucked the personal pink stickynote your brother had stuck on the front off.
Hey Bug,
I know you aren't keen on animals but these guys are much cooler than your average pet! they're super high maintenance and need special care so try to keep to the manuals. These are EXPENSIVE BABIES! So please, try not to kill them, okay? And don’t let them out, you won't get them back in, trust me. It was a hassle getting them in there before I left.
Love you, don't let me down!
You’re face screwed up at the note. How dumb does he think you are? You flicked through the rest of the directives, reading where to go to find the food, how much to give to each animal, what went to whom-- the basic things. There was more further down, telling you how to cook each dish using the kitchen in the shed by the cages, which you chose to ignore. They're animals, you weren't about to Michelin Star their food.
There was also a list of their names which you skipped over completely. You weren't going to bond with them, you were here to feed them and that was it. There were folders inside the envelope as well, labeled with names you once again chose to ignore, with information on all the animals. Another folder with bold writing ‘READ:IMPORTANT’.
Dismissing them wanting to just get everything done and over with, you swore to yourself you'd come back to the important folder later, clearly whatever was in there was necessary for you to study up on during your month's stay. For now, you just need to get outside and feed the animals so you can enjoy the rest of your evening on the world's softest sofa.
Heaving yourself up you dragged your way out the back door and shivered at the cool air. Why did you have to feed these things three times a day? They’re animals for Christ's Sake. They know how to survive off whatever they get.
Shoving your feet into your brother's oversized boots you stomped your way down the small hill that had blocked off your view of the large cages that were built and supposedly housing the animals-- even though they looked suspiciously empty. To your left, there was a large shed that housed freezers and fridges containing all the food. You quickly made your way over wanting to get it all over with before the sun completely set and left you blind. But it was quickly proven the task would take a lot longer.
There were seven fridges lining one wall, each one with initials painted onto them. Maybe reading their names would have been useful... Shaking off the beginning of a pit of anxiety trying to form in your chest, you decide that they can all just eat the same thing, surely? You can't see why not. By the looks of it, they're all on the same meat-based diet. It should be fine.
Grabbing what looked like steaks from the first freezer, you scoffed at the little sticky note reminding you how to prepare the meat. There was no way in hell you were about to cook for your brother's spoilt pets, you don't even cook for yourself. They won't even notice the difference.
Letting out a frustrated whine you pushed your hip harshly against the door to the shed, your arms full. You had stuck to your word, refusing to cook for animals, but now you had a cooking tray stacked up with large chunks of red meat, the smell was making you feel nauseated. It wasn't that you didn't like meat, you loved red meat and if you weren't broke you would eat it more often. The nausea probably stemmed from the stink of raw meat and blood, and maybe a little from your anxiety. You felt like you were being watched and laughed at, watched-- probably. Your brother's pets were probably curious why some unknown lady was in their home. But laughing? No. They’re animals. They feel threatened, hungry, and horny.
After what felt like miles you finally reached the first cage door, your arms aching from the weight in your arms. The sun was almost completely set, the sky a pretty hue of orange, and yet your focus was on the cage in front of you instead of the much more attractive sight of the sky. You were waiting for something to move or jump at you-- but nothing happened. No animal made an appearance making you wonder if your brother did have any animals in the first place. You kicked at the fence, lips pursed in annoyance.
“Hey, number one? You there?” You called, kicking harder. A low growl made you cease your tantrum. Did Jay ever mention what exactly you were looking after?
“I guess you are…” You trailed off, glancing at the meat that weighed you down.
How the fuck were you going to feed whatever the fuck was in there? You were starting to regret not reading the notes properly, maybe Jay had left instructions on how to go about this. He did it daily, surely he would have left tips. There was no feeding slot on the gate, nowhere to slide the food into. Were you supposed to throw it over the fence? Did Jay really expect you to cook a five-star meal and then toss it onto the dirt?
Staring into the cages you attempted to devise a plan. Your brain reeled back to the notes you had skimmed over, trying to remember anything-- something-- that would be useful. Blank. The feeling of eyes on was making your skin itch, it didn't feel like an animal's gaze. It felt almost human. Almost. It felt predatory. There wasn't any hope that you would unlock any of the doors and enter, that would be the actions of a suicidal person which you were not.
Deciding to test your talent in throwing, you begrudgingly grabbed a chunk of red meat, gagging as it dripped onto your brother's boot. A free place to stay for the month wasn't enough payment, you were going to need more compensation for this. It was slimy, making you wonder if you'll even be able to throw it properly. Were you truly about to embarrass yourself in front of your brother's pets like this? They'll be able to see your lack of physical abilities at this moment, and who knows, maybe they'll start plotting your demise. Judging by the growl one of them let out earlier, at least one of them is some kind of predator. Which brings you to the question, why the fuck would your brother have something that could tear him to shreds living in his backyard, and why would he request you to feed the damned thing?
Squaring your shoulders, you squeezed shut your eyes, put every bit of strength your flimsy body had, and launched the meat toward the fence. It hit the chain-linked fence with a slap, your nose scrunching in disgust at the sound.
"That was just a practice throw." You assured your invisible spectators, stomping over to the food that now rested on the lawn.
"I can do this."
And do it you could, with great difficulty and frustration. The sun had set long before you had managed to reach the third cage. The whole ordeal had taken an embarrassingly long time, and at some point, you could've sworn you heard snickering. By the time you had reached the seventh cage, it only took two attempts to get the now-warm meat over the fence. Leaving the cooking tray on the grass you had all but ran back to the house, desperate to be away from whatever the weird vibes were that emitted from the cages.
You were probably psyching yourself out, spooked by the growl. But something in the pit of your stomach was warning you, begging you, to leave. But for the first time in your life, you decided you wouldn't trust your gut. You were just scared, it was dark and there was a scary animal in one of the cages, of course, your flight or fight instincts would be playing up. Tomorrow morning when you go out to feed them it'll feel better. The sun will be out, and maybe you'll catch a glimpse of whatever is out there and it'll ease all your anxieties.
Tomorrow will be a better day.
chapter 2