Outside Normality

From the POV of Greyson.

"Grey," a voice hissed through the night. "Grey. Grey. Grey!" it said again and again. Grey rolled over and asked, "What, Arron?" "Did you hear that?" Arron whispered across the room. "From where?" Grey asked, not bothering to whisper. Arron pointed at the wall next to Grey's bed. Grey sighed and put his ear against the wall. It was cold to the touch, and Grey felt goose bumps started to prickle on the left side of his bare chest. "No," he replied. He laid back down, but Arron whispered, "Are you sure?" "Yes, Arron," Grey replied. With a bit of hesitation, he asked, "What does it sound like?" "I can't describe it," Arron replied. "Then I can't tell you what it is," Grey retorted, trying to stay calm. "It sounds like, like a slapping sound, kind of," Arron said. "It's a tree branch in the wind," Grey explained. "But it's not," Arron said, then, "I'm scared," Grey sighed and asked, "Do you want the light on?" "Yes," Arron replied. Grey sighed again and put his hand against the wall, grabbing for the light switch. He found it and flicked it on, wincing at the sudden change of light. Grey rolled back over and buried his head in the pillow. Insomnia was bad enough; insomnia with the lights on was horrible. "I'm going in the living room," Grey said as he got up. "No, don't!" Arron exclaimed quietly. "Why?" Grey asked. He hoped his impatience didn't show in his voice, but he thought it did. "Because I don't want to be alone," Arron replied. Grey pinched his nose. "Can I turn the light off, then?" Grey asked. "No!" Arron replied hastily. "Then I'm going in the living room!" Grey almost shouted, his patience gone. "Grey, please!" Arron cried, his eyes watering. Oh, no, Grey thought. Once Arron started, he didn't stop. "Please-don't-leave," Arron sobbed. "Arron, don't cry," Grey begged. "Please don't cry," he begged again. Arron cried. "Arron, please stop," Grey pleaded, getting up and sitting next to him. Arron wrapped both his arms around him and begged, "Ple-please-don't-le-leave-Gre-Grey!" "Okay, Arron, just please don't cry," Grey said, unsure of what to do or say. "Tha-tha-thanks," Arron sobbed. Grey tried to smile and said, "No problem, buddy," It was a huge problem, considering Grey would probably be awake forever, but leaving Arron would be something Grey never heard the end of. "Just go back to sleep, okay?" Grey asked. Arron wiped his tears and nodded as he laid back down. "Goodnight, buddy," Grey said as he went into his own bed. Grey tried to sleep, he really did. But he was wide awake now, and the lights were on, and he had insomnia. Insomnia! Who could blame him for silently sneaking out when Arron was sleeping and going to the couch. He was just falling asleep when Arron screamed. Grey jumped off the couch and ran back to his room. The door was ajar, and Grey's other brothers (the ones still at the house) were already there. Sage quickly got sight of him and slipped off, while Griff and Darian calmed Arron down. "What happened?" he whispered to Grey outside the room. "Arron said he heard something, so I turned the light on for him, but I couldn't sleep, so I left," Grey explained. Sage crouched down to eye level and said, "Arron said you promised to stay," "Well..." Grey started. "Grey," Sage said disapprovingly. "I might told him I wouldn't leave," Grey admitted. "And you..." Sage began. "...left," Grey finished, hanging his head. "Grey, he's eight. You were scared of the dark when you were eight," Sage said. "I was not! I was scared of the dark when I was like four!" Grey exclaimed. "And I have insomnia! How was I going to get to sleep?" he asked. Sage paused, then said, "You could have gotten me, or Darian, or Griff," Grey opened his mouth to reply, then yelled, "Fine! I'm just a horrible brother!" "No, you're not, Grey," Sage said, almost sympathetically. "You just don't understand what having a little brother is like," he added. "I've understood for eight and a half years," Grey retorted. "Arron has always been my problem," he continued. "My brother to look after, my brother to baby, my brother that's my shadow. I was never Kayden's shadow, or Creston's, or Rusy's! Kayden never had to baby me, or Creston, or Rusy! What makes Arron so special? Why is he suddenly mine to carry?" "Grey, he's your brother," Sage said harshly. "And he's yours!" Grey countered. "He chose you," Sage retorted. "I never asked him to!" Grey exclaimed. Sage pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed. "Look, buddy, I know what you mean. Trys was my shadow for a while, and Darian for a little bit. Arron will grow out of it, trust me. You just have to be patient," he said. "I'm not a patient person," Grey declared. "No you aren't," Sage said, grinning. Grey couldn't help but grinning back. "You know Arron is gonna want someone to get you," Sage said. "I know," Grey said sullenly. "It's not like I want to, Grey," Sage said. Grey didn't reply. "Hey, Greyman, don't be so gray," Sage said, grinning. Grey grinned back, and asked, "Do you really have to?" Sage sighed and said, "Alright, this once. But you have to accept that Arron is going to be your shadow no matter what you do, okay?" "Okay," Grey said, smiling. Darian slept with Arron that night, and Grey was grateful for it. Grey was just coming out of the bathroom around midday when he saw Arron walking by. "Hey Arron," he said. Arron didn't stop, and he made no reply. Grey sighed, but figured his little brother would get over it. He would be mad and pout, but he would get over it. "Hey Arron," Grey said as he walked by the couch, where Grey and Darian were watching TV. Arron ignored him. Darian said, when he was out of the room, "He's just upset, Grey. It's like a phase," Grey frowned and said, "He's never ignored me twice," Darian raised an eyebrow and said, "I thought you didn't want him to be your shadow," Grey crossed his arms and said, "I don't. It's just...not normal," Darian laughed and said, "We aren't normal, Grey," Then he pushed Grey's head down and grabbed the waistband of his green boxers striped vertically with yellow and gave them a sharp pull. "Ah!" Grey exclaimed. Darian gave another sharp pull, then let go and said, "See? Not normal," Grey grinned at that. When Grey was outside playing basketball, he asked, "Want to play one on one?" when he caught sight of Arron. Arron didn't reply. Grey sighed and put down the basketball, then walked over to Arron and said, "I'm sorry, buddy. I didn't know you would get so upset," Grey hated to admit it, but he missed Arron being his shadow. Arron kept walking, and Grey followed him. Arron went to their room, and buried his head in the pillow. "Arron, come on. I'm sorry, please don't be mad. I didn't know," Grey said. "Go away," Arron countered. Grey sighed. He didn't want to have to resort to it, but..."I let you give me a wedgie," Grey said. Arron slowly rolled his head over. "Really?" he asked. Grey sighed again and said, "Yes," Arron jumped off the bed and ordered, "Lay down," Grey did reluctantly. Arron jumped back on the bed and squared his knees off with Grey and grabbed his waistband. He pulled up slowly, then gave them a sharp snap. "Ah!" Grey exclaimed, and he heard Arron laugh. Grey felt his underwear start to pull his legs up off the bed a bit, and he knew they must be pretty far up his back. Then he felt the waistband go over his forehead. Grey scraped at his jeans, but it didn't do much good. Arron laughed and ran off, then came back with a bit of duck tape. He tapped the waistband to Grey's head, smirking. Grey caught his hip and spun him around, then gave his waistband a sharp tug, which he wasn't really allowed to do, since Arron wasn't ten. Arron yelped and jumped away, but when he turned around he had the cheapest smile ever on. "Guys, come look!" he yelled. Grey was blushing a deep shade of crimson when they came. Griff burst out laughing before he could do anything, and Sage pulled on Grey's loopholes before he laughed too. Darian picked him up, threw him into the air, and caught him by the seam before he put him back down. "How'd you do it?" Griff asked. "He-" Arron began, but Grey shot him a pleading look. "-isn't stronger than me," he finished, and Grey blushed. But he had to admit, that was better than, "He let me give him an atomic wedgie," Grey's brother laughed at that, and Grey blushed more. They all picked Grey up by his boxers, then left laughing. "Can I take this off now?" Grey asked. Arron sat on his head and said, "Maybe, if you do something..." "What?" Grey asked. Arron giggled and said, "This," He picked up Grey's head, then got on the end of the bed, his stomach down, and spread his leg. He farted when he let go, Grey's nose in the direct line of fire. "Aw, gross!" Grey exclaimed. Arron laughed and jumped off the bed, smiling. Grey couldn't help but smile back.