The Rites: Ethos Society Part One

by Chloe Gunter

  "So where do we go from here, Charlie?"

  "I don't know Gavin. What you told me doesn't change the way I feel about you, but I can't sit here and pretend it's not something that's monumental. Hell, if I don't finish then I probably will end up forgetting this ever happened and never know about this huge part of your life. Not to mention, everything that happened with Gage. I can't sit here and pretend that he and I haven't formed a bond going through what we have together either."

  "So, after the miscommunication, after finding out exactly who I'm involved with, you still love me and want to be with me?"

  "Yes, but-"

  "No 'buts', Charlie, that's more than enough for me. I love you. You love me. At the end of the day if that's all we have then it's still worth it, cara."

  "And Gage?"

  "If you two want to continue to develop what's between you, then that's something I'm okay with. I love you both, and I want you both to be happy. The concept of sharing isn’t exactly new to some cultures. Honestly, with the kind of work we do, it would be comforting to know that someone we trust unequivocally would be looking out for you, and I know he feels the same way."

  "So that's something you both agreed on this morning? Anything else I should know?" I asked, feeling a little out of the loop on such a serious topic.

  "I know that tone," he said, giving me a small smile. "It's ultimately your decision Charlie, always. Just know that I'm not going anywhere, whether you decide to pursue something with him or not. Okay?"

  "Okay," I said, moving over to him and giving him a sweet kiss. His arms wrapped around me and pulled me into his lap, taking advantage of the position and deepening the kiss. When we broke away, I leaned my forehead against his and took a deep breath.

  Relieved, hopeful, shocked, loved, cautious, the emotions floated through me, one after the other as I sat in Gavin's arms, his hands still wrapped around me, anchoring me. As I processed the information I had to work with, I came to a few conclusions.

  One, I was going to let go of the misunderstanding and trust that Gavin didn't have any mal-intentions about not explicitly telling me he was a twin. What we had between the two of us was strong enough to withstand this, and I still loved him deeply.

  Two, while Gage and I worked well together in missions, and we had some really cathartic hot sex, I wasn't sure how that would translate to our day-to-day lives. And while I was relieved that Gavin was okay with it, Gage was still a relative unknown.

  It looked like lunch would turn out to be just as telling as I thought.

  Gage came through the door with two pizza boxes in his hand and a six pack in the other, what had come to be my staple comfort food on campus. He placed the boxes and beer on the table as Gavin got up to grab plates.

  He turned in my direction, zoning in on me and running his eyes over me. I must not have looked incredibly distressed because I saw his shoulders loosen slightly as he gave himself a small nod before running his fingers through his hair. I guess even some of their mannerisms and tells were the same.

  “Hey, Charlie.” His voice was slightly gruffer, something that he’d need to modulate if they were to go undercover together.

  “Gage,” I said, testing the name on my tongue.

  He made a sound, somewhere between a huff and a groan and shook his head slightly before pulling out a chair at the table.

  “I guess it was misguided of me to hope that things wouldn’t be awkward between us.”

  “Not misguided, it’s just something I wasn’t expecting. Which, we probably all had a hand in. The best we can do now is lay all of our cards on the table and see what happens from here.”

  “So you’re considering it? Seeing us both?” He leaned forward in his chair and braced his arms against the table. His intense gaze was slightly unnerving, showing just how invested he was in the conversation.

  “I think that should be something we talk about later. For now, let’s just all eat lunch together and see how this goes. Whether you and I pursue something or not, I need to know if we can all work well together and enjoy something as simple as some pizza and beer.”

  Lunch ended up going surprisingly well. Gavin and Gage had the whole easy sibling thing going and the banter flowed well as they included me in every conversation. When Gavin got up and gave me a kiss before taking my plate, Gage, to his credit didn't react except to drop a look down to my lips.

  "So," I said to Gage, taking charge of the situation, "we should probably have that talk now."

  "I’ll take that as my cue. I actually have some prep I need to do before they send me out again this week, so I'll leave you guys to it," Gavin said, coming back from the kitchen.

  "Lunch tomorrow?" I offered, standing to meet him.

  "Of course, cara." He gave me another kiss as his hand took mine and squeezed three times, letting me know that things would be okay, that regardless of my decision he would still love me. It provided the extra boost I didn't know I needed to face this head on.

  Sure, I could interrogate terrorists all day with questionable tactics, but put me in a room with two lovers who happened to not just be brothers, but twins, and somehow my self-assured skills fell by the wayside.

  As the door closed behind Gavin I turned to look at Gage, whose eyes were already on mine, seemingly waiting for my attention.

  "So, Gavin said you're some kind of tech genius? I guess that explains a few things from when we were together last." I keep it vague, not sure the extent of what we can and can't mention without having any backlash from Ethos.

  "I am, and I can tell you all about it if you want, but are we really going to do this?"

  "Do what?" I questioned back.

  "Dance around each other and ask mundane questions in a false pretense of getting to know each other."

  "Do you always say exactly what you think?"

  "Yes."

  "And how is that working out for you?"

  "Why don't you tell me?"

  "Well, speaking as I didn't know Gavin had a twin until last night, I'm thinking that the whole 'getting to know you' thing might be necessary in our case," I said back, quirking an eyebrow at him as we volleyed back and forth.

  "You may think that I don't know you, that we don't know each other very well, but you're wrong, Bird. I know the most important things about you, like how your mind works and how you react under pressure. Those tell you more about a person than what their favorite color is or some other bullshit like that. And once more, I know myself. I know how I felt when we were in those cells together-"

  He let out a grunt of pain as his hand came to his stomach and my hand immediately went to his back, rubbing small circles until he could breathe again. Even if we wanted to exchange information on what we both knew about the night before and exactly how we had managed to pass, we wouldn’t be able to.

  "See? Even now, you're comforting me. That's what you do when you care about someone."

  "I'm not so obstinate that I can't admit that I don't care about you, I know I do. It just happens to make things more complicated Gage."

  He leaned back up and took my hand and pulled it to his face, "We'll be worth it Charlie. And if I have to spend every day showing you that then so be it."

  He looked so serious and earnest that I couldn’t help but believe him. We had grown together in crisis, our bonds tethering deeper with each new Rite we faced. We weren’t hurting anyone if I decided to take this chance, to let him in. Where Gavin was the light, Gage fit in the dark tiny recesses, surrounding me and consuming me. My eyes dropped to his lips and I felt the desire to kiss him again, to catalogue his taste on my tongue and in my senses.

  "Fine, fine," I let out a little laugh as a smile started to stretch across my face. "I agree to give it a shot. Are we finished now?"

  "The only thing finishing here, is my cock, inside you."

  A rush of heat spread through my body as his eyes flared with pure desire. I remembered how we moved together, the harsh brutal cadence
of his thrusts where he went deeper than I thought possible. I felt my nipples start to tighten the longer we stared at each other, both waiting for the other person to make the next move.

  I enjoyed the self assured way that Gage challenged me. How he wasn't afraid to say what he wanted and fight for it, namely me. There was something very attractive about that, and even I could admit that he had made valid points. I did already care about him, something had forged between us during the second Rite and it was deeper than I think both of us were expecting. So as we eye fucked each other I decided to trust my instincts and Gavin's words of assurance.

  "You sound pretty sure of yourself," I taunted, finally breaking the silence.

  "Do I have a reason not to be?" His eyes narrowed, begging me to try and refute his claim.

  "No," I said, closing the distance and cupping his face with my hand, "you don't. But as much as I love the thought of you riding me again, I want to spend some more time together first."

  Our lips met then, and it wasn't one of those slow, sensual kisses that lingered on your tongue, it was a clash of tongues and teeth, of promise and passion. A declaration that we both wanted each other and to see where this went.

  When we broke apart my lips felt slightly swollen as I took in a ragged breath. Gage's hair was disheveled from where my fingers had wreaked havoc. His thumb traced a line back and forth against my bottom lip before his lips came down and placed a surprisingly soft kiss.

  "Until then, Bird, I can't wait to watch you fly."

  The past two weeks had passed with relative ease. Gavin ended up being gone for one week since he only needed to consult on a mission, given that they already had a plant deep undercover. Gage and I had spent more time together, mercilessly teasing each other to see who would break and give in first.

  So far, I wasn't sure who would win that battle. We were a good match and as the days went on we grew closer. Gavin still stayed over at my apartment occasionally, giving us the alone time we both wanted, but I enjoyed hanging out with both of them together as well. We just seemed to fit.

  But none of that was on my mind as the hot sun beat down on my skin. The only thing consuming my thoughts was the obstacle course that laid in front of me and the time I needed to make.

  "You all are aware of what today is and by now you guys know the drill," Scott called out. "Since this marks the test that determines whether or not you will be making the cut, Assistant Director Ridley is going to be here to oversee your progress."

  "If you are unable to make the five minute mark, or reduce your time by the 40% as discussed, you will fail and be immediately dismissed from GRAVITAS. Do you understand?" Carrington asked, standing beside Scott. A chorus of confirmations rang from our group.

  "Anything you want to add Director?" Scott asked. Ridley stepped forward and scanned our group, his eyes briefly meeting mine in acknowledgement.

  "You all know what you need to do, and you all are capable. You wouldn't be here if you weren't. Don't let yourself stand in the way of your own greatness."

  He stepped back, keeping it simple, and let Carrington and Scott finish their speech, calling out the pairs for the final run. We were told we had five minutes to finish stretching before the first buzzer would sound.

  "We need to work together," Cody voiced to the group, Ash standing at his side. "We all have different strengths and weaknesses and if we all want to pass then we need to work as a unit, just like what we would do in the field."

  "It's not a competition amongst us," I added, backing him up. "We each just need to perform to our greatest potential. If that means helping a teammate or accepting help, then so be it." I looked around at the group seeing expressions ranging from acceptance to relief. "We can do this."

  We made a game plan based on our order at the start so that everyone could reasonably make the times they needed. I was going to help spot and call out the sequence of targets at the rifle station, while I'd be receiving assistance getting over that fucking wall in a fast amount of time.

  I ended up being paired with Cody, so by the time I navigated the beams and other obstacles to make my way there, I was glad to have him. He immediately braced his hands together, making a step for me. As soon as my boot landed, he lifted me quickly till I could grab a hold of the rope, using my strength to finish the climb. As I straddled the top of the wall, I quickly looked down to check on him.

  "I'm waiting for Ash, go ahead and help out at the rifle station."

  I zoned in, completing the other obstacles from muscle memory, all the extra practice sessions I had done paying off. By the time I reached the rifle station, covered in mud and flushed from exertion, I was ready to finish the final station and cross the finish line.

  Loading the rifle with precision, I braced the butt of the weapon against my shoulder, settling in my stance before I pressed the button that started the sequence. The sequence was random every time, but I managed to land my shot near the center of the targets on the first try. Which was a vast improvement from my first attempt at the course a couple months ago.

  When the green light flashed above my head I quickly secured the rifle and pulled off my muffs, stepping back to see who else was in the booth. I spotted Sanchez at the end, knowing that she was two groups ahead of me and went over to her, careful to make my presence known. I watched her finish up the last little bit of her round. She wasn't a bad shot, she just couldn't get a hang on the random pacing of the targets appearing. When she put down the rifle and went through the process of reloading, I stepped closer.

  "You got this. I'll call them out, so you aren't having to find them and aim. That should speed it up enough to help."

  We both put our muffs back on and I stepped diagonally behind her, wanting to see the angles and be close enough that my calls would be heard through the protection. She hit the button and we flew, me calling out targets and her quickly focusing it in, not having to scan the horizon herself. As the final target kicked back our eyes snapped to the light above, waiting for it to determine her fate.

  Bright green lit up the plastic shell as we both breathed a sigh of relief and smiled. She finished unloading the weapon and we both sprinted to the finish line. Carrington called out our names and I breathed a sigh of relief. I had fucking done it.

  All of the extra hours of hard work and training with Reed, Ash, and Cody had paid off. I stepped to the side and cheered Ash and Cody on once they came into view. Cody was going to cut it close, since he had a fast initial time and had waited on Ash. They crossed the finish line and immediately turned to Carrington to hear their times.

  Ash went first, having made the 40% cut off from her original time. When Carrington called out Cody's name and time, my heart leapt into my throat.

  5:04

  Four fucking seconds.

  I saw Cody's head fall and shake side to side when Ash placed a hand on his arm. Guilt clouded her features and I felt it too. She wasn’t the only one he had helped. I walked over to them and overheard part of their exchange.

  "Ash, babe, it's okay. I wouldn't change anything, you deserve to be here."

  "You do too, Cody," I said, causing him to raise his head and look at me. Well, he did for a second until his gaze shifted over my left shoulder.

  Ridley approached Scott and Carrington, talking to them with his back to us, not giving me an angle to read him or what was going on. He left shortly after, and we were soon called to gather.

  "First, I just want to say that I'm glad you guys finally figured out how to work together," Carrington drawled, making Scott let out a small chuckle.

  "Congratulations to all of you for passing your test, we haven't had a full group get a complete pass in years," Scott offered. "Now go out and celebrate."

  "I don't understand," Cody asked, above the cheers. "I was over, I didn't make the time."

  "You were four seconds over. And yes, normally you would have been cut. But anyone with eyes could see that you'd be able to pass the course well wit
hin the allotted time frame by yourself. You helped multiple people along the way and you were still only four seconds over. Assistant Director Ridley overrode your time and gave you a pass, and we happen to agree with him."

  "What Scott's trying to say is that you did a good job. We're on the same side and you're not getting penalized for that. I would have no problem with having you at my back on a mission. Now go get some rest," Carrington added.

  The group slowly dispersed, handshakes and hugs and whispered words of thanks being passed around. I said my goodbyes and made my way home, craving a nice shower and some fuel.

  My mouth was stuffed with a turkey sandwich when Reed came through the door. He looked worn out, his beard slightly uneven, a sign that he had been tugging at it. He paused when he saw me, cheeks full and eyes wide, hovering over the sink and he lost it. I didn't realize how much I had missed him these past couple weeks.

  We had seen each other in passing, exchanging hellos and small talk, but it had been awhile since we had hung out together. Me, dealing with the guys, GRAVITAS, and wondering what Ethos was cooking up for the final Rite. And him, well, I assumed it was from teaching classes and something he was working on in the lab, as he always smelled slightly astringent lately.

  "I needed that, Char, thanks."

  "Happy to please," I garbled out, not caring about the crumbs that fell into the sink. I finished chewing my sandwich and took a long drink of my water before I attempted to speak again.

  "Hey, mountain man." I came from around the counter and wrapped my arms around him. He held me tight, holding on longer than I expected before he lifted me and swung me in a circle, making me laugh as my toes kissed the ground before he set me down. "You okay? We haven't really gotten a chance to talk lately, I miss you punk."

  He held me gently to his chest as I felt him exhale. "Yeah, I'm just a little stressed out right now. They called Ramsey out for a mission, and that on top of everything going on here, is just starting to add up."