“Excuse me,” Joe, the head of Moe's bodyguard team, interrupted from the doorway. "Meinhard Simmons is insisting on seeing you."

“Insisting,” Einar's voice lost its softness, turning icy. "You insolent pup!"

“Let him in,” Moe snapped out of his reverie and made his way to the couch, still holding the forgotten glass of water. He looked at it in surprise before downing its contents in one go. "There's no need to be so worked up, Einar. You're here supposedly to update me, but it seems like you're just here to talk. Why can't he?"

“Because he…“Einar’s growl was cut short as Manny, flushed from the cold, barged into the living room, eyes glinting with determination, ready for a showdown. Moe sighed. How was it that despite the agreement that his residence was off-limits, they were now in his living room as if they owned the place? He should have stuck to his guns from the start, listened to the apology, and sent them packing. Now he had to deal with the fallout of his leniency.

"Hey, Moe!" Manny's smile seemed forced as he quickly redirected his attention to his brother, bristling with tension. "Aren't you supposed to leave?"

"You're interrupting a serious conversation," Einar ground out through clenched teeth. "Go home." Manny frowned, glanced at Moe, and before he could respond, turned back to his brother. His expression turned pale when he noticed the iconic case.

"How dare you suggest marriage to him after what you've done?" Manny's tone grew menacing. "Moe deserves better! He doesn't need people like you dragging him into chaos!"

"And he deserves you?" Einar retorted sharply, his anger mirrored in his pale complexion. "A kid who's accomplished nothing but harass him, frame him, and spread lies?"

"I may have made mistakes, but I never attempted to orchestrate someone else's murder!" Manny's voice thundered, his fists clenched tightly in frustration.

"Enough!" Moe swiftly positioned himself between them, both nearly matched in height and strength. He wasn't about to let himself become the center of their conflict again. "I think it's good that we're all here. It's time to be real and clear the air. Sit down!"

The two Simmonses begrudgingly moved to the table with the same tense demeanor, unaware of how alike they appeared in that moment, and awaited Moe's words expectantly.

This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

“Alright, listen up, you two. Referee Moe is calling the shots now,” Moe declared with a stern expression, taking his seat at the head of the table and addressing both of them. "Here's the deal- Manny, you need to vanish from my life completely. No traces of us together should remain. Find yourself an omega your own age to romance, go to movies, cafes, and whatever else, and live happily ever after. And as for you, Einer, forget about the time we spent together. Stop dwelling on what could have been. Once this mess is sorted, I'm out of here. I'm going far away, where I can build my own life, raise my child in peace, and hopefully find someone normal. You two, pardon the pun, are anything but normal. You can't even get along with each other! And you are brothers to each other, for fuck’s sake! How can you even speak about relationships??”

Both of them stood petrified in the midst of their heated argument, locking eyes with identical resentment reflected in their differently colored but similarly shaped eyes. Moe let out a sad snort, bracing himself for the impending verbal assault—he knew he wasn't cut out to be an orator. Somewhere along the line, his genetic makeup had faltered- in a family renowned for their scientific prowess and persuasive arguments, he, the sole member with no affinity for science, struggled to assert his truth against their stubbornness.

As both brothers spoke simultaneously, Moe found himself lost in scattered philosophical musings, contemplating his sense of alienation within the family. Manny boasted about his cleverness in planting the tracker in the watch, asserting that he could have saved Moe if Einer hadn't intervened by ordering the bodyguards to ignore him. Einer vehemently countered, blaming Manny for orchestrating the situation and tarnishing Moe's reputation, thereby triggering the conflict. The brothers seethed with anger, exchanging biting insults, while fervently appealing to Moe for support, who remained silent, lost in his introspections. The tension in the small living room continued to escalate until the youngest and most important person in the household erupted in anger.

Moe quickly snapped out of his reverie, extending his arms as the confident figure strode in, his tropical attire contrasting with the chilly atmosphere. Holding a wailing Miny, Datu entered with an affectionate smile, announcing, “We're all out of milk, sir.”

“Got it,” Moe swiftly unbuttoned his flannel shirt, adjusted his nursing top to expose his nipple, and tenderly lifted Miny, who continued to squirm with his characteristic paternal growl. Moe winced as he felt the pressure of four-month-old Miny's budding teeth, causing him visible discomfort.

“Ah, you little biter, that hurts!”

“That's why you need to forget about Moe!” Einer declared triumphantly, pointing a finger towards Miny and rising from the table. Softening his expression, he cracked a smile and craned his neck to get a better view of him. “What a handsome young man he's becoming.”

Manny winced in recognition of the weight of the argument and fell silent, observing as Moe settled cautiously into the rocking chair, wiping his tear-streaked cheeks with the hem of his shirt. Moe rocked wearily, covering his eyes to shield himself from both of them and their overwhelming expectations and demands. He spoke dryly, “Just leave. I've had enough of both of you. Neither of you has a chance.”