Though it doesn't feel like it, crisis places us front and center of desire, which is the force of power.

The energy in the dorm was tense from the moment we stepped inside, I know his siblings didn't know what it was supposed to look like but they at least got the vibe something was wrong.

Everything was moved.

Every piece of furniture, every trinket, even the shampoo battles, seemed to be out of place as I walked around the apartment half-frantically checking it.

That's even before I remember the dog-tags, to which I start going through my drawers and come up with nothing, making a frustrated shout leave my mouth as I kick my desk -accidentally sending it tipping over.

Which wouldn't have happened if everything wasn't piled heavily on one side, already making it unsteady.

Fuck.

Please, please don't tell me he found it because if he doesn't have it on him, he's definitely hidden it somewhere or it's even in his car.

Meaning I won't have it for a while.

Rushing past Jasper and his family, I check the bathroom for the necklace, but it's still not anywhere to be found.

"Sawyer!" I roar, stomping back into the living room and grab the front of his shirt, shoving him back into my bookshelf. I'm not even worried about it, everything is messy on it and if it happens to fall, it would fall on my brother. "Where is it?"

Atlas shrugs, smirking as he brushes his shoulders off. "Where is what?"

"You know what. Don't fucking play with me! Not about this, where is it?"

Staying silently smug, the prick just shrugs.

"I swear-" I growl. "-to fuck-"

"Calm down, Alpha," He lashes out, shoving me in the chest making me stumble back and gasp as my back hits the corner of the hallway wall. "You'll get it back soon enough."

My jaw clenches as I push myself away from the wall, tensed in pain and only half aware of how bad I'm ticing -at a certain point, I just ignore it, even if it doesn't interrupt me. "Give it back."

"I will," Atlas continues to smirk. "Eventually."

"No, now."

I flinch as he either goes to shove me again- -that or try to start a real fight by punch me- -but before he can Nyx herself is grabbing him and painfully twisting his arm until he's falling back into the bookshelf again -where Damien pins him down.

At the same moment Jasper steps in front of me, arms protectively coming to keep me to his chest as Eris comes behind me.

The D'Silvettas stand between us, Dela in front of Jasper.

And none of them say a thing, allowing me to hear Atlas's noise of pain.

"Wait-" I squeak, struggling to pull away from Jasper. "-wait. He just, he just does that- -mother duckling- -sometimes. And just, stop!"

Finally squirming my way out of his arms, I break from Jasper and stomp over to his sister and her boyfriend -with his hands snapping out to my hips as he follows closely behind me.

"Let him-" I squeak. "-go."

"Fuck!" Nyx hisses, tightening her hold. "I'm trying to be nice too."

Then Nyx stares at me for a moment longer, glances at Jasper before sighing exasperatedly, scowling right as me as one tug on Damien's arm causes him to drop his hold and step away from my brother.

God damn, he's douche-bag but I'm the only one allowed to beat him up.

Jasper is the biggest guy here, the tallest one, but his physique is really close to the D'Silvetta brothers and Atlas -who is only an inch if not a bit more shorter than Jasper.

I wouldn't doubt with the way that dick is acting that they all feel threatened, which, when their sisters are here, isn't a good thing.

"Prick." I call him, as Atlas shoves me out of the way to stand in the clearing of the living room -Eris and Vivianna now behind him, clearly making Damien and Nyx more agitated.

Probably feeling more than defensive, Atlas huffs. "I had that under control."

"Sure," I snort. "I'm sure you could take all of them at once."

Moving my hand out, I wait for the girls to take the hint. The weirdo is the first one to and shoots under Atlas's outstretched arm to grab my arm, which is quickly followed by Eris bolting around my brother.

"He really, seriously, wouldn't-" I growl. "-hurt you." I tell them, frowning. "Sawyer's a prick but he respects you."

Eris is the one who nods.

I turn back to face Atlas, going to put my hands on my waist in the powermove-stance but Jasper's hands are already there, making me sigh and just cross my arms over my chest. "Give it back now."

Rolling his eyes, Atlas digs in his pocket and pulls out the dog tags -holding it by the chain.

"Isn't a bit childish you still wear this?"

With that, he tosses it to me.

Relieved, I catch it with both hands, reading it for a moment before I pull it back around my head and tuck it under my shirt.

Now, I'm okay again.

Or, at least, that's what I think before I catch sight of the dorm again.

My brain starts to scream at me, telling me things like if that gadget isn't where it's supposed to be I should probably send my head through the window or if things are out of place, it means you should die.

These thoughts aren't anything I've ever taken seriously, even if it does bother me.

I just wish they'd stop.

"Wait," Jasper says, moving one hand from my hip to get his phone out but I barely register the movement. "See! I took pictures of how everything's supposed to be! I'm, well, you know I'm clumsy? I bump into things a lot. And always try to put them back when they move. So I can help!"

My jaw drops at this, not expecting it at all. I just assumed...I just assumed that he didn't really care if my things stayed the same way.

The look of joy that Jasper has at the prospect of helping me is so fucking cute that it momentarily makes my thoughts change from panic to desire.

"A-are you sure?" I ask, eyes nervously scanning the shelves.

Jasper nods, "I want to." My heart clenches and I'm sure I look like a complete dumbass with how I'm staring up at him. "Plus Eris and Damien like organizing, we can get it done fast, without bothering you more."

Wanting to say yes, but hesitating, I gulp. "I accidentally knocked my desk over looking for my necklace."

Without pausing, the musician shrugs. "You can go in my room, I don't mind."

I agree to this easily, grabbing my phone and flopping down on Jasper's bed- -Atlas didn't touch his room- -and start to just pointlessly flick through the minimal apps I have when I notice just how much this space has Jasper's presence left over on it.

There's only minimal guilt that he's cleaning, but it's a lot better than wanting to jump off the roof because something's messy.

Turning over in bed, I grab his pillow and pull it into me, sighing when Jasper's natural- -holy shit, is this natural? He smells so good it can't be natural- -scent floods my senses.

"Stupid Jitterbug," I mumble after a few minutes, my thin long sleeve and jeans no longer keeping me warn.

Jasper's one of those people who have the sun in their veins and never seems to get cold, so he doesn't have a space heater or even a comforter on his bed -just sheets and a thin blanket and literally only one pillow.

Which, I tell you, is a stark difference from my bed where there's roughly five pillows, two comforters, and a blanket as well and my room where there's a space heater on both ends of the room and rugs on the floor.

Either I'm fucked up, or he's not human.

Grumbling, I grab the sweater sitting on the chair in front of his closet, it being the large one he wears around bed sometimes -not because he's cold, but just because he doesn't want to be shirtless.

Holy shit.

This thing is so big, I'm practically swimming in it and the sleeves go well past my hands.

Why the fuck do I- -the normal sized guy- -have to seem so small when I'm standing by Jasper or, apparently, wearing his clothes.

At least it's comfortable.

And smells good.

And calms my body down more, so after nearly half an hour my nervous tics are already almost non-existent.

Walking quietly out of Jasper's room, I pause in the center of the doorway where Dela notices me -being the one who's sitting on the now back in place couch.

"Hey," I say quietly, fidgeting with the end of my sleeve. "Is everything still okay in here?"

She nods, eyes flicking over to her twin -who's reorganizing the top shelves while Damien grumpily reorganizes the nicknacks that go on the coffee tables and Eris, who I imagine was helping, is now reading one of my books with about ten more piled in her lap.

"After they finish we're gonna probably order something for dinner, and I'm gonna kick everyone's ass in Mario Kart." Dela giggles softly, as to not catch attention. "Axel insisted we bring three Wiis over just so we could play on them at the same time. It's an ancient game, I know, but it's fun."

Mostly just playing war or driving games I just nod, not really knowing what that is but trusting her when she says it's fun.

"You don't have to order anything," I mumble, rubbing the back of my neck. "I'm a cook. What do you guys like?"

"Anything that has chicken and cheese. Oh! And oranges."

Nodding, I leave the conversation at that and go into the kitchen, Atlas giving me a single nasty look and the middle finger but doing nothing more to draw attention to himself.

Making chicken parmesan is easy, as I make sure to constantly stock up the fridge even if Jasper isn't much of a cook or we just order out it helps when I need extra ingredients for class.

I don't know about the rest of them but after getting out the plates so everyone can get food, I put out the oranges so at least Dela gets the weird side flavor she wanted.

Not knowing what they like, I make garlic broccolini which literally only takes about ten minutes, mashed potatoes and fettuccine alfredo as side dishes -glad this entire meal can be taken home and heated up as a leftovers because this is a lot of food.

Next time, I'll probably ask for more specifics.

Wrinkling my nose as I step back into the living room and instantly come face to face with Atlas, I back up to the doorway.

"Alpha," Atlas goes to ruffle my hair but I have to smack his hand away with a small 'no touching' in his direction. "What'd you make?"

Ignoring him because the prick doesn't care what I made, he knows it will taste good, I turn back to face the family but stop short as I catch the wide-eyed flushed Jasper staring at me with his lips softly parted.

"Dinners done," I tell them, glancing to Nyx- -who seems like the leader- -before back to Jasper. "Are you okay?"

"Ignore him, he's probably having a stroke," Dela says, pushing on her twin's jaw so his mouth closes. "Thanks for making dinner."

I nod, "There's oranges."

Nyx grins, "Fuck yes."

Hearing this, his siblings flock to the kitchen but instead of eating the real food, first they all- -every single one of the Reds- -grab at least one orange, sit packed on our kitchen floor and start to talk.

"Fuck you guys," Axel says, voice muffled as he stuffs his face with the fettuccine alfredo as his sister cuts her chicken with a butterknife instead of a real one -which in my mind, is a good call. "This shit is good."

Damian makes a face at him, which I can tell is because of the way he's eating instead of it being my food.

"Where did you learn to cook like this, Cas?" Dela asks, handing Jasper a unpeeled orange -at which point he sits on the floor just like them, legs crossed, focusing on his siblings as he had taken one look at me, flushed and turned away.

"My dad."

Jasper pouts, pointing at me with an orange slice. "I didn't even know you could cook."

"Jitterbug," I chuckle, more than amused. "What do you think I go to college for?"

"Uh..." The giant gulps, biting his lip before quietly saying, "Football?"

Squishing his bruised cheeks as gently as I possibly can while still getting my point across I shake my head at him. "Football doesn't give me any credits."

"Oh." He pauses. "That's kinda dumb."

Atlas joins the conversation, this time pleasantly, from his spot on the counter. "Alpha's been playing sports since third grade, I don't think he'll ever give it up even if it exhausts him while also doing college."

I scoff, "Exhausts me?"

"What," My brother says mockingly. "Are you saying you're getting more than two hours of sleep every night?"

Wrinkling my nose at him, I pointedly don't answer and decide to find comfort by climbing under Jasper's outstretched arm as he gives a piece of his orange to Axel and situate myself in his lap.

Nyx looks a little surprised, glancing between me and Atlas. "He knows you're gay?"

Well if he didn't then he does now.

"Yeah?" Both of us answer at the same time, glancing at each other, but it's Atlas who continues. "He came out in what, fifth grade? Alpha's gay. So what. Doesn't make him less of a dumbass."

Rolling my eyes I helpfully add, "Just like him being straight doesn't make him less of a prick."

"Question," The musician raises one hand like he's in school while holding my side even tighter with his other. "Why do you call him Alpha?"

Sighing in defeat, I watch as the grin forms on Atlas's face. "What do you think his name is?"

This again.

Fuck.

"It's Cas. Just-" I squeak. "-Cas." I interrupt him, scowling and pressing myself closer to Jasper. "It's not anything more."

Jasper pouts more, tilting his head down and nudging the side of my head like a puppy- -he actually does remind me of a puppy quite a bit- -before asking again, "Then why does he call you Alpha?"

"It's literally his name." Atlas tries to tell them.

But clearly me denying it makes them think it's not true, which is a victory in my books.

Until Damien signs something to Nyx which makes her say, "We believe it."

"Should I call you Alpha then or-"

Tired of the questions, I cut Jasper off with a kiss that makes him sigh- -almost relieved- -against me but give a small whine-like groan as I pull away.

"I'm Cas," I tell him, pecking the corner of his lips this time. "Just Cas." Then his cheek. "Nothing more." And finally the tip of his nose, making his minty eyes adorably go all cross-eyed. "Got it?"

He nods, showing off his dimples with a small grin.

Maybe it's Atlas that made me shameless, given how fucking bizarre our family is, but I honestly could care less that his family is around -and seeing as Jasper didn't push me away I assume that wasn't too much for them either.

"Everyone has to eat three full bites even-" I growl. "-if you had two oranges."

Vivianna pats me on the head again, "You're going to be a great mother."

It's not her words that surprise me but the way she quickly picked up on that the only touch I'll tolerate was a pat on the head- -honestly, my hair is so annoyingly thick and constantly messy I can't really feel it- -and that became her version of the excited arm-to-chest hug she gives everyone else.

Trying to stand to get food doesn't work, as Jasper continues to talk with his twin and just wraps his arm tighter around me.

"Jitterbug," As I speak, my amusement is clear even in the pat I teasingly poke his nose. "You have to let me up."

"O-oh." Jasper instantly does as asked, flushing and trying to follow suit but his long leg gets caught by the edge of the dishwasher and he starts to fall.

Grabbing him by the hips, knowing if I caught the giant by his arm I might just pull something out of place, I steady him between my body and the counter.

A glare, one I can't help, makes Jasper freeze.

"Be careful," I snap, thumb coming up to tilt his face down to mine. "Go slower and don't trip."

He just pouts, squirming through how flustered he becomes. "Easier s-said than done."

I cross my arms over my chest, stepping away from him to watch as he starts to get food before freezing, glancing at me and putting his plate down as he turns to face me completely.

He's definitely planning something.

And I bet that his something has to do with my lips.

Raising an eyebrow, I take note of how everyone has already cleared out of the kitchen, going to sit down with their food and the loud sound of the Wii turning on blasting in the background.

"What color was that?" Curious, I ask this, and don't quite know why he looks so surprised, the sneaky look leaving the mint as bewilderment takes its place.

Now that same pout doubles as he says, "Purple."

If he doesn't stop pouting I'm not going to make it much longer before I'm completely under his control.

Or under him.

Either works.

"Are-" I growl. "-you going to get food?"

No response, just arms crossed grumpily over his chest as he stares down at the ground.

"Jasper," I repeat. "Are you going to get food?"

Again, no reply.

This is a game.

He should know that when it comes to games, I'm pretty competitive.

"Oh I'm sorry," Sarcastically apologizing, I take a few steps closer to him. "Do you want something?"

Minty eyes lift but instead of meeting my eye he stares at my lips.

Is he seriously pouting just because I didn't kiss him longer?

What a bottom.

Stepping closer, I walk him back until he's leaning back against the counter -our hips pressed together as he instantly puts his hands on my sides.

Leaning up, I act like I'm going to kiss him just to move past him and grab a water bottle from behind his head.

"Take this."

Dumbfounded, Jasper takes it before his head snaps back up to me -disbelief clear in his eyes.

"Why?"

I shrug, "You wanted something. And since-" I growl. "-you paused getting dinner, I assumed it was a drink."

"That's, you didn't, y-you're just-" Huffing, he holds a hand up to his mouth. "Can you please just kiss me already?"

Chuckling, I raise up on my toes and do just that -his hands keeping me steady as Jasper doesn't hesitate to kiss me back. Wrapping my arms around his neck, I bury one hand in his soft hair as his fingers trail down lower to grip my hips.

Licking across his bottom lip just to tease him, I don't expect the light, yet deep, groan that vibrates in my chest as he just kisses me harder.

His hands on my hips tighten, silently asking for one thing, and without much conscious effort I give it to him.

Jasper lifts me in the air, my legs locked around his waist as he sets me on the counter.

"Wait, wait-" I like that when I say this, he actually listens -which hasn't always been my experience with guys. "Your sisters..."

"Don't c-care, and they," Jasper sucks in a heavy breath of air -not having breathed during the kiss, making me guess that despite how much I enjoy his kisses, he's not that experienced. "They probably already k-know."

Hand on his chest, I nod. "Can we just...not do this here?"

Jasper goes to completely pull away, making me frown and grab onto the collar of his shirt.

"I meant go do this somewhere else." I pause, raising an eyebrow. "Like your bedroom."

The musician pauses, eyes widening. "Just um, just kissing?"