It was one of those nights where it had been really hot and the windows in Thomas's bedroom were open wide. Still, they had thrown off the blanket, lied entangled with each other when they were both awoken by a sharp, loud yell.
"What the actual fucking fuck?"
Disoriented, it took a few seconds before Liv realized what was going on, who was standing at the foot of the bed and then suddenly the situation became horrifyingly clear to her. The facts were that it was Arvid who was staring down at them with confusion and disgust written all over his face, that Liv was in one of Thomas's large t-shirts which had ridden up in her sleep, revealing she wore just underwear beneath, that her cheeks burned red from the embarrassment and from the friction from Thomas's light stubble, because their cheeks had been pressing against one another while they slept. In short, there was no explaining themselves out of this really.
"Arvid...", Thomas started weakly, looking just as, if not more, guilty than she felt.
"You're... You're fucking her? You're fucking my little sister?", he interrupted, with a loud but broken voice, and Liv fought the urge to grimace at the sound of the ugly word in his mouth.
"That's not it. We...", Liv tried to answer but Arvid was clearly not in the mood to listen to either of them at the moment.
"Unbelievable. You... You sick fuck. For how long..? Never mind, don't tell me. Jesus Christ, Liv, get up, put some clothes on and pack your goddamn things. That's all her stuff everywhere right? There's no... There's no chick. I figured you'd started seeing someone when I got inside, when I looked in here I thought... But it's Liv right, it's all her? You've been keeping her here locked up with you like some..."
"Shut up, Arvid!", Liv interrupted, getting up off the bed and approaching her brother angrily, "It's not like that. I know you don't like it but it happened a.."
"It's not like that? Oh really, well then let me guess what it was like: You're bored with conventional girls your age", he pointed at Thomas, "You start prying on a naive teenage girl who trusts you instead, I know your game. You tell her how she makes you better, heals your childhood traumas from the inside, all she has to do is kneel down and suck your dick."
Now Thomas got to his feet too, fists closed by his side.
"You think I'd do that to her?"
"Why, sure. I did think there were some lines you wouldn't cross but apparently I was wrong", he turned back to Liv, "Is it because he was around after Lars assaulted you? Did he use that to..?"
"Fuck off, of course not", Liv said sharply and flushed, "And you know that. You know he'd never..."
Arvid signed for her to be quiet, glared at Thomas with so much betrayal and disgust while Thomas looked back with a blank wariness. Maybe he had already realized there was really nothing that could be said to assuage Arvid's fury.
"Can I have a moment with my little sister?", Arvid asked coldly and with mock politeness, "I'd like to inform her a little about what she's gotten into, and with whom."
A crease appeared in between Thomas's brows, his eyes darting between the two siblings.
"I think you should talk to me alone, not her."
Tilting his head back in realization, Arvid smiled bitterly.
"You're scared I'd hurt her? Chivalrous of you, while insanely hypocritical. Or... is it just a convenient ruse to keep me from getting her to see through your bullshit? Either way, it's fine", he shrugged, "I'll let her know anyways. This man here is sick, Liv, sicker than you're able to grasp. You're this new tool he's found, a new clever way of hurting himself by hurting everyone else in his life that cared for him."
Struggling to hide that every one of those words cut deeply, because they did mirror what she feared most of all, she shook her head.
"That's it. You're a fucking tool stupid enough to fall for his twisted schemes."
"No", she said, but heard that her voice didn't sound too convincing and now she felt tears burn in her eyes.
"Arvid", Thomas said, "Enough. Don't say those things to her. I'm the one to blame."
"Damn straight", Arvid snorted, "You were supposed to care for her, protect her. Turns out you're no better than Lars really."
At that, Liv shouted at him to shut up again but Thomas remained unfazed, wistful.
"Maybe not."
"I don't see you packing your things, Liv."
"I'm not leaving."
"Interesting. If you don't come with me, we're done. Got it? We're not family."
The weight of his words settled over her but she didn't hesitate a second.
"That's your choice, Arvs."
"No. It was yours and you just made it."
Looking as if he was about to storm out, he stopped, threw another betrayed glance at Thomas.
"Have fun exploiting my minor sister you fucking asshole."
Not a muscle in Thomas's face moved and Arvid advanced instead, raised an arm and then Liv understood and moved as quickly as she could. The first punch landed on Thomas's chin and lip but he didn't as much as flinch despite his skin splitting immediately. Before Arvid could hit him a second time though, Liv had pushed in between them and that's when Thomas moved as well. His fists closed around Arvid's wrists, wringing them further away from Liv, wheezing at her to please move away.
"I wouldn't hurt Liv", Arvid bit out and shook himself free, "Which is more than you can say."
Without another word he spun on his heel and left, an eerie quiet settling over the house after the front door slammed shut.