My Brother's a Changeling!

# My Brother's a Changeling!

Well, I started writing this one about two and a half years ago. About time I bloody finished it. Especially as it ties into the rest of the "My Sister's a...!" series, and lays a lot of the groundwork.

General warnings: Incest, romance, slow burn, mythology, slow slow burn, slower burn, slow.

For the pedantic: This isn't strictly incest.

Everyone is clearly over the age of eighteen.

---

Sports stadiums have their own unique stench to them.

Fay had never really liked sports, growing up. She'd done just about everything she could to escape and hide behind the bleachers, or even to nick out of school.

Now she was an adult, she couldn't believe that she was willingly turning her Friday nights into a mess of sweaty and dripping guys who all thought they were God's gift to women. She couldn't even hide out behind the bleachers at this basketball court - they were a modern design, solid wood with no gaps.

However, there was one sweaty and overconfident man among the boys, that she couldn't help but squee over.

He was just as arrogant as the rest of them, but with him she found it endearing. It was who he was. Who he had always been. She'd never admit it to anyone that asked, but when the court bell sounded one last time, and he celebrated with the rest, she found herself drawn to him.

She could always spot him in a crowd.

"Hey, Trip. Beat your record at misses?" She said, tossing him the clean and fluffy white towel.

When he walked over towards her, and she tossed him a towel and teased him... She felt a disturbing purr from something that had no business being impressed by his stupid charismatic smile.

He ran it roughly through his dripping black hair, and smiled lopsidedly at her, "Hey, cute stuff. Did you get here in time to see the third quarter?"

She rolled her eyes, "Yes. I saw your dunk. You know that I don't find anything to do with sport... Interesting? Let alone impressive."

"Not a dunk. The three pointer." He shook his head, "You know, I get the impression that you do that on purpose. Misname the stuff. Everyone knows what a dunk is."

Fay gave a small smile and held out a water bottle for him. "No. Never. I'd never do anything at all just to see you get annoyed."

"Brat." He rolled his eyes and took a swig before handing it back to her, "Whelp, gotta go. I'll be out in twenty. You be alright?"

She shrugged, "Do it every week. See you soon, Trip."

Trip wasn't actually her brother's name. It was his nickname. It had stuck so well that it was the name on the back of his top. Everyone called him it. His real name was Daniel.

He'd earned the name in a particularly embarrassing situation. Not just for him, either.

Back then, Fay had heard on the grapevine that her brother was having some trouble meshing with his new team. Fay had thrown together a lunchbox, and headed down to watch one of his games for the first time. Hoping that her brother having a cute little blonde around might bump him up in the eyes of the others.

After the game, however, Trip hadn't spotted her. He was arguing with one of the other players on his team. A tall and muscled guy with short-cropped black hair that had made Fay reconsider her attitude towards athletes on looks alone.

He and Trip had been arguing about some part of the game that had gone wrong, and so Fay grabbed the lunchbox and ran out towards her brother, looking to try and end the argument with a happy surprise.

The dark-haired guy shoved Trip as she got to them, unnoticed. Trip fell into her, and the two of them hit the ground. As if the world's worst writer was in charge of that particular moment.

Trip's hands landed on her breasts. His lips against her mouth. His knee between her legs and pushed up against her mound.

The hilarity of that moment stopped whatever the fight was, and her brother had been teased about it ever since. Dan became Trip, and eventually even she had grown to use the nickname.

She'd been coming to see him after his games ever since then. Pretending that it was about spending a little bit more time with her twin. Repairing any mild break that had formed in their relationship since they'd gone to uni, and gone their own separate ways.

Fay's reverie was broken by a strong hand on her shoulder, from one of the other athletes.

The black-haired man smiled at her, sitting down beside her and reaching to steal one of the sandwiches that she had made for Trip. Her hand snapped out, flicking at the back of his painfully.

Ryker laughed, pulling his hand back, "Aw. Still only making enough for Trip?"

"Aha." She said with a half-sneer, "Why do you talk to me all the time? You've got a girlfriend, Ryker. A nice and possessive one at that, who I'm sure would do horrible things to me if she caught us talking on the regular."

"Oh, Lils doesn't mind if I have a friend or two who are gals." Ryker shook his head and tried to reach for a sandwich again.

She flicked his hand, again. "Not the impression she gives me. So... You trying to be my friend, Ryker?"

"Sorta. Not really." He shook his head, "I'd say that Trip's my best friend. So entertaining his little sister whilst he's taking his sweet, sweet time in the shower, that's an obligation."

"I'm not his little sister!" She protested, and then blushed, "Well, not really. He's only a minute older than me."

Ryker laughed, "And two feet taller?"

"Shuddup." Fay muttered, looking down in embarrassment.

He shrugged, "So. Did he take this long in the shower, growing up? I swear, it's like he waits for everyone else to have left before he finishes."

"Eugh." She rolled her eyes and nodded, "I always used to get in trouble at home for running late, because he got to the shower first. He'd make me run half an hour late for everything, and neither of us even ate breakfast, ever."

Ryker grinned and shook his head, "Lils was a shower hog, too. Not so much a problem now we're dating."

"Huh?"

He swallowed, "Eh... Childhood friends. We grew up together. Only took me a couple decades to put together that she liked me."

Fay wasn't sure how childhood friends would know if each other were a shower hog, but she wasn't about to ask any questions. She'd only met Lily a couple times. Both times the woman had threatened her.

Not vague threats, either.

So, now when a woman with white leather boots turned up at the basketball court, Fay would suddenly find herself halfway to her car. Whether or not Trip had finally dragged himself out of the shower.

"Season is nearly done." Ryker said, "Next week? We're throwing a bit of a party for the team."

She nodded, "Trip mentioned it. That he wouldn't need his... Little... Sister to pick him up. Just... Try not to give him too big of a hangover. My brother is a total lightweight. Two light beers and he's unsteady on his feet. I don't want to hear about him waking up behind some hedge, somewhere."

"Or in a bush." Ryker said flatly.

Fay's cheeks went bright red, "W-what!? I mean... I don't want him sleeping around, but who he sleeps with is his business."

"I know your feelings aren't just platonic." Ryker whispered, "Don't worry, I'm not going to tell him, or anyone else. Just... You can admit them around me. I won't care."

"This is a very disturbing conversation. Can you go away, now?"

He stood up, making a final swat at the sandwiches, while she was in too much shock to stop him. Ryker waved to her as he stuck it in his mouth and walked off casually, as if he hadn't just told her that he knew her deepest, darkest, and most shameful secret.

Before Fay's surprise could turn into horrified tears, she heard the familiar footsteps of her brother. She spun around and held up the box towards him, "Hey! Chicken and salad. Ryker stole one, jerk."

"Ryker's okay." Trip said, taking one, "But... Are you okay? You seem... Off. Someone at work been picking on you?"

She shook her head, "No, no... Ryker was... I think he was building up to something? But he dropped the conversation."

"He said something to upset you?" Trip said with a hint of anger that gave her that forbidden feeling, below her gut.

Fay shook her head, "Not... Well, yes. God, I hate that you can tell when I'm lying. But it doesn't matter. He said you two were friends, now?"

"Always been friends." Trip shook his head and grinned, "Because we got into a scrape that time? Guys always fight, Fay. Ryker and I are best friends. Getting into a bit of a tiff doesn't mean anything."

"Guys are confusing." She replied, standing up and picking up the water and Trip's sportsbag. "So, where do you want to go tonight? Finish those at the park under starlight? Or do you just want to head home, and share a hot chocolate?"

Trip shrugged, "Actually, I am kinda tired. Sorry. Can we call it a night?"

Fay's bottom lip trembled before she got it under control, "Oh. Hot date?"

"Uh..."

She hated herself for bringing it up. Trip confirming that he was meeting a woman was her worst nightmare. What she was supposed to say in this situation was the exact opposite of what she wanted to say.

Fay led him out towards the car, "So... Is the giant getting more than a one night stand? Do I need to prep for wedding bells? Or... Babysitting?"

"It's our second date!" Trip shook his head, "We were going to meet up yesterday, but I ran late at work. Sorry, sis. This is one of those... I'm not ready to talk about it yet, things. I'm hoping it'll work out, but I'm really not sure, yet."

Fay shrugged, unlocking the car and tossing his bag onto the back seat. She slid into the driver's position and waited until he got in, "Mysterious and cute got a name?"

"Fanastasia. Fan." Trip stated, "She's a cutie. But more than that, she... Gets me. Understands a few things about me that I didn't think anybody ever would. I actually met her through Ryker. She's a friend of his girlfriend."

"Oh god." Fay complained as she started to pull out of the carpark, "A friend of Lily? Are you... Absolutely insane?"

"Kinda. Maybe." Trip shrugged, "She actually looks a lot like Lily, most of the time. However, Fan's not obsessed with Ryker. She... She finds the whole world interesting. A bit like you. Remember how you always said you wanted to do a world tour? Fan actually has."

Fay didn't feel like she needed extra reasons to be jealous of her brother's girlfriend. However, he was delivering them in rapid succession.

"She understands you, better than your twin?" She tried to keep the bite out of her voice. Tried and failed.

Trip sighed sadly, "I'm not saying that you're not there for me, Fay. God knows you do an incredible amount for me. Like watching a bunch of sweaty adrenaline junkies toss around a ball. But... Things are just... Different, with her."

"And being able to get lucky, and not just annoyed, has nothing to do with why she's better company than me." Fay scoffed.

He laughed nervously, "Um... Yeah..."

Fay flicked her eyes to him momentarily. Trip was looking nervous, and rubbing the back of his head. Not exactly the kind of reaction that she'd been trying to provoke.

Also not the kind of secret she was ever expecting to worm out of her brother.

She'd lost her own cherry a while ago. That had been one of the least memorable moments, ever. The guy had been drunk, and rough. He'd struggled to stay halfway erect and just sort of jammed it in as best he could.

It hadn't even been a romantic position. She'd been bent over a tree stump as he tried to work out if he had the balance to screw her.

Neither of them had an orgasm.

"So, what do you like most about this girl?" Fay asked, twisting her stomach into knots, "Does understanding you mean she's a good snuggler for the sads? Or more being able to talk until midnight without realising it?"

Trip coughed, "Ehm... Bit of both? She's really good at listening, when she wants. And she treats the entire world like it's amazing and fun. Knows more random factoids than anyone I've ever met. Like, did you know that the dot over the small letter `I' is called a title?"

She had to laugh how he sounded genuinely interested in that completely useless bit of trivia. "She going to go on a game show?"

"She just picks up a lot of stuff like that. Never forgets a single thing. Can quote me, days later." Trip shrugged, "She's just... Into the world. The whole world. Makes it feel like no matter what kind of life you have, no matter what kind of future, it's worth living."

Fay scoffed, "Remembers everything you say? And you think you can actually make this relationship last? Girls like that... I don't know if they mean it... But they ruin everyone around them, Trip. Even when they forgive you, they end up bringing up the mistakes. Over and over."

"Thanks." He replied sarcastically, "Not like I'm worried about that, at all."

She winced, "Sorry. I'm... Terrible, Trip. You finally find a girl you really like, and I should be happy for you. Yet, all I can do is catastrophize. I guess... My own love life is always one disaster after another. Seeing you go down the same route... That'd hurt like hell. Ignore me. Just vicariously living my own cowardice."

"Fay." Trip said, voice full of sympathy and pain, "You're still my best gal. You're my twin. You're allowed to panic, especially because I hid it. You never hide anything from me."

Her stomach twisted with guilt. But what she hid from him, was something that would wreck him, if he knew. His sister wasn't supposed to crush on him. That was something gross, that just should never happen.

In the case that it did happen, then the family member was supposed to do everything possible to get over it. Fay had, to begin with. She'd spent years trying to pretend she was into other guys. Even tried to dip her toe into the gay pool, before finding it did exactly nothing for her.

All the same... She adored her twin brother.

Trip gave a heavy sigh, "To be honest, as much as I like Fan... I'm not so sure she's into me. She hangs out a lot with Ginger, and sometimes I get the feeling that they're... A thing. But then Fan goes and uh... Well..."

"Kisses you." Fay laughed at his nervousness, "I'm guessing she does that in front of... Ginger? That's the redhead, yeah? The one who talks like she's from both Scotland and Ireland at the same time?"

"Aye, that she be." Trip mimicked the woman.

"As long as you're happy." Fay said sadly.

Trip hesitated, "Things aren't going so well on the romance front, for you, are they? I mean, I know you're confused about what you want."

"I'm not bi or gay. I knocked that one out of my system." Fay shook her head, guiding the car underneath the streetlamps and into the suburb where her brother lived.

"Well, crud. Estelle asked me if you were available."

Fay winced, "Yeah, no. Dunno how guys even go down on a girl, Trip. That's really not for me."

"Too much information!"

She grinned at him briefly, before slowly pulling through the roundabout, "Ryker's complaining about you, by the way."

"The shower." Trip swallowed nervously.

Fay raised an eyebrow, "Wait, that's guilt? What exactly are you doing in there? Does Fan know that you're bi?"

"I'm straight." He replied sourly, and then sighed, "It's... It's a thing. Uh... Fan's helping me, actually. I just... I..."

Fay reached over and squeezed his hand, "Keep it. Until you're ready to say it. Don't even have to tell me, ever. I won't pry. It's yours."

"I hate secrets."

She pulled into his drive and parked the car. Turning in her seat to face him, "Everyone's got secrets, Trip."

"Except for us."

Fay shook her head, "Nah. We've got secrets. You've got no idea where I hide my recipe book."

"Behind the flour, at the back of your pantry." Trip snorted.

"Not anymore, I don't!" Fay exclaimed, and then shrugged, "See? Secret is a thing."

Trip gave a pain expression, and then gave in. "Guess we're going there. Um... What would say, if I just came out and told you that I killed someone?"

Fay gave a terrified stare, before finding her tongue, "I'd... Ask where you buried Ryker?"

"He really is my best friend, Fay." Trip gave a nervous laugh, "I'm... Still figuring things out. I didn't do something, but... I am responsible for it. Which means working out how the heck to make up for it."

"So confused."

He shrugged, "Me too. Me -"

"You brought a girl!" A screech vibrated the window besides Fay's ear.

The moment that Fay glanced over, her hand flew to the gearstick, putting the car into reverse. Trip caught her hand as it went for the brake, "I told you that she looked like Lily."

"Fan. Fanastasia." Fay took a deep breath.

Fan cartwheeled over the hood of the car, to grab Trip in a hug as he stepped out of the car. The energy in the woman felt like someone had sucked a dozen rabbits dry.

Fay sat there, waiting to wave them goodbye.

The other woman argued with Trip as soon as she realised that Fay wasn't staying, before crossing her arms and sticking out her bottom lip. Fay eased the car gently back down the drive, waving goodbye.

She was almost out of the estate when she realised that Trip had left his surprise dinner behind. She did think about turning around, but then she thought about Fan. She didn't want to interrupt those two making up.

Trip deserved to be happy, even if just for a night.

His half-confession bubbled up in her memories and Fay's hands tightened on the steering wheel. Suggesting that he'd killed someone? And that somehow the energiser bunny girl was helping him bury the bodies? Fay didn't have a single clue what Trip had done.

The worst thing she could remember him doing didn't hold a single candle to murder. He'd stolen a walking stick from an older man who lived next door. The man had just about beat down their front door to get it back.

Trip had moaned something about just wanting to go home, the man had smacked him over the back of the head, and said a bunch of words in a language that Fay hadn't recognised.

Hadn't recognised, back then.

The random memory she hadn't thought about it over a decade hung in her head as she slowly picked apart the Greek. She wasn't very good at it, wasn't a translator. She had picked up a fair bit though, working as an archivist in the local library.

"Dory... einai diko... Mou..." Fay mused allowed, "The... Sharp... The spear. The spear is mine?"

It didn't make sense. Naming a walking stick a spear didn't make sense. The fragment was casual, too. Missing the starting 'to' that she would have expected.

Slang was every bit the translators bane as encryption. The secret words are hard to piece together without a body of evidence. The man was probably an immigrant, and Fay's language skills were just plain terrible.

Tomorrow was Saturday, but she was heading in to work. She worked the weekends, and took Wednesday and Thursday off instead. A way for the library to cover themselves with continuous shifts.

Fay actually preferred it, to the surprise of no one who knew her. She wasn't much of a party animal. Having her weekend in the middle of the week, when she didn't have to deal with the crowds, was appreciated.

"What spear?"

Fay screamed and the car spun sideways and thunked into a park, hitting the front wheels hard. She stared in terror at the woman sitting in the seat beside her.

Lily tipped her broad-brimmed hat backwards and levelled a glare at her, "I asked you a question, bitch."

"W-w-w-w-w..." Fay stuttered.

Lily sighed heavily, "Huh. He still hasn't told you. All this is new. Well... Shit. I probably just gave you a heart attack."

"How the f-fuck did you get in my car!?"

"Broomstick. Easier than ripping a portal." Lily shrugged, "You said something about a spear. Turns out, I'm looking for one. Estelle had a vision, and those always come true. I'm hoping to make sure that this one... Doesn't."