Chapter Text
“So how does the story of the wolf brothers end?”
“I think their story ends right here”
“So, you think there might be hope?” The look in Daniel’s eyes as he spoke made Sean feel suddenly tired. He caught his own cynicism reflected in Claire’s face as she placed a hand on Daniel’s shoulder. Sean wanted so badly to do the same, but not here. One hug on arrival, one as they left. They were strict on that rule here.
“Maybe, Daniel,” Sean said eventually, moving to run his hand through his hair before remembering it had been shaved close not long after his arrest.
“I promised you, in the motel that night, remember? I promised you I wouldn’t lie.” Sean was fighting hard to keep his voice from breaking. “So I’m going to be honest, my odds are, uh, not great.”
“But there’s proof now! He’s come forward, he’s gonna testify that you didn’t do it!”
Claire shook her head at the same time that Sean did.
“One witness isn’t likely-“ she began to say at the same time that Sean said “a cop died, Daniel.” He spoke a little more harshly than he had meant to.
There was a long silence, and Sean could feel his own heart breaking as he watched Daniel wilt.
“It’s my fault” he said quietly. “I could come forward, I could-“
“No, Daniel. We’ve been through this. It’s not your fault. And they wouldn’t believe you anyway.” Sean lowered his voice. “You saw how they reacted after you broke us out at the border. They want to pretend so badly that something like what you have couldn’t exist.”
Daniel nodded, forced a smile. Sean wasn’t buying it, but he played along anyway.
“Hey enano, you never know, maybe… Maybe Brett might actually help.” Sean hated getting Daniel’s hopes up like this. Mostly though, he was afraid of letting himself have hope. Especially putting his fate at the hands of that asshole, the reason they were here in the first place.
The guard called out that visiting hours were ending, and Daniel stood abruptly, near tackling Sean into a hug. Sean held him back, tight and close. He felt the tears welling behind his eyes and scrunched them closed. He had been crying a lot recently - now that it was over, the running done, only the memories of the past year left now. Nothing to fight for anymore, nowhere to run. Only shared trauma, and Daniel not there to share it with him. He wondered if Daniel had been crying a lot too.
“Team howl?” Daniel asked, his voice almost timid as they pulled apart.
“Not here, Daniel” Claire started, looking around uneasily at the other kids saying goodbye to their families in the visitation room. Claire was always so on edge here. He wondered who she thought the other inmates were. These kids were no different from them. Everyone here had only done what they had to to survive. He hoped he’d be able to explain that to them one day - and to Daniel especially.
“aow-aow-aowwooooo” Sean half-whispered, smiling down at Daniel whose smile grew again, howling back. They were quiet, but it helped. Almost.
“That’s enough,” huffed the guard in the corner, and Daniel scowled. Sean watched as the guard turned his back, and as he looked back at Daniel, he saw the telltale glare of concentration on his face, the twitch of his hand.
“Enano…”
Daniel just smirked, and Sean spun around as behind him, the guard tumbled down flat on his face, the shoelaces of his boots tied together.
He couldn’t help it, Sean let out a snort of laughter as Daniel doubled over in giggles. God, he wanted more of this. He had spent so long raising his brother, scolding him and teaching him best he could. Now all he wanted to do was laugh with him again.
Claire gave him a brisk hug too, before they were ushered out. It was a little stiff, a little awkward, but he appreciated it.
“He doing ok?” Sean whispered as she held him.
“As well as can be expected. He has Chris, at least, and us” she said quietly, giving his hand a squeeze as they parted.
“Oh, and before I forget,” she said as she turned to leave. “Your friend, Finn. He wants you to call him, now that the money we sent has cleared. We made sure he was on your list of contacts.”
“Thanks, Claire.”
Sean wondered if she could tell the way his heart had risen up in his chest at those words.
He waved over at Daniel, who would always wave until the last possible second when he was out of sight. And as Daniel disappeared, and Sean let his arm fall back down to his side, he was alone again.
***
“Hey there, sweetie.”
“Finn.” Sean’s voice was a breathy laugh as he clutched the receiver to his ear, the tears prickling his eyes again. He propped an arm on the phone box, leaning over towards it so that none of the other boys could see him cry.
“How have you been, Finn? It’s so fucking good to hear your voice.”
“Could be worse, man, could be worse. Community service sucks but…” He trailed off. “It’s no juvie that’s for sure. Sucks fucking ass that I can’t come visit though.”
“I know. I miss you.”
It was a long while before anybody spoke, and for a second Sean wondered if he had come on too strong. It wasn’t often Finn was at a loss for words. At the hospital, he had told Sean he loved him, but he couldn’t help worrying that Finn was too much of a free spirit to lie awake missing him the way Sean did.
When he finally spoke though, Finn’s voice broke in a way he had never heard before.
“How you holding up there, Sean?”
“Could be better.”
“I feel you man. I wish…”
“I know.”
“How’s our little super bro?”
Sean laughed. “You tell me, I think he speaks to you more than me these days.”
“Aw, come on man, we’re kindred spirits me and him. Plus you know he misses you like fucking crazy.” Another long pause from Finn. “Something else we’ve got in common.”
Sean paused to wipe the tears from his eyes with a swipe of his hand.
“I’ll be honest, I’m worried about him. He’s too hopeful about Brett’s testimony.”
“Yeah I heard about that. Something about a gas explosion?”
“That’s what the lawyer told me, yeah. Said he’s made a full recovery and stepped up, he’s going to testify that me and Daniel were both still on the ground when… When the explosion happened.” There was no way these calls weren’t recorded. He had to be careful not to get Daniel mixed up in all this.
“Maybe he’s right Sean, maybe this is something-“
“I can’t, Finn.” Sean snapped back, running his hands over his shaved head as he regained his composure. “I’m sorry, I just. I can’t hope.”
“All good, man.” Finn said quietly. “I know.”
“Fuck. What I wouldn’t give to be with you in San Diego right now.”
Finn chuckled. “Yeah, super bro could use his, uh, special skills to help with my community service. And then we could go to the beach and get high, watch the sunset.”
“That sounds perfect.”
“Move it along Diaz.” Sean started, turning to see a line forming behind him, angry faces waiting for the phone.
“I gotta go, Finn, but listen. I’ve missed you so goddamn much. Stay out of trouble ok? So you can come visit soon.”
“I will do my best Sean, and you do the same. I know you don’t wanna give yourself hope, but you never know. Maybe you’ll be visiting me first.”
“God I fucking love you Finn.” The words were out before he could stop them.
“You too, sweetheart.”
Sean hung up, the kid behind him shoving just a little too hard on his way past to the phone. It was so very very hard not to hope for redemption when there were so many people he loved out there waiting for him.