When Kevin and Vincent had finally decided to just take out everything worth eating from the fridge I was downright starving. I couldn’t stop staring as the food was placed on the table right in front of me and I didn’t even care if I were drooling right now. The only thing preventing me from tossing my hands at everything in sight was the fact that I actually had some manners (yeah, I know shocking huh?). That and the fact that that asshole used to throw a fit and beat the living daylight out of anyone that dared lay a hand on his food when he was around.

I glanced at Kate and saw that she was acting exactly like me and I sighed a little in sadness. It wasn’t okay that Iwas mentally scared, but at least it was kind of expected since I had lived with that lunatic for at least three years. That Kate was also scared was what bothered me. She had, after all, only lived with us for a month. Yeah I know, one month and she was already scared to do things that could end up getting her or me (since I always used to take her beatings for her) in trouble. She was five for god’s sake! She shouldn’t even know what it felt like to be hit by someone, no less someone you thought you could trust. Someone you at least should be able to trust…

"Why aren’t you eating Ash?" Amber’s concerned voice cut through my line of thoughts and I turned my head away from Kate to look at her instead. When I did I noticed that everybody was currently looking at me and I shrugged slowly.

"Just thinking I guess." I muttered and I could see the brother’s exchanging meaningful glances. Alex turned to me and glared growling warningly:

"Eat." I glared a little back but stopped when Anton joined in and Adam pushed a plate with something that looked like pancakes towards me.

"Fine! But I’m not doing it because you said so, I’m just too tired to actually fight you right now!" I snapped childishly at them before I moodily snatched a fork from the table and started chewing on what turned out to actually be some kind of omelet. It wasn’t bad but since I was exhausted and my whole body ached I had a hard time forcing down food and after a while I gave up. I pushed the plate away and drank some milk before I pushed the glass away too.

I could see Anton eyeing my half-eaten plate warily before he turned his eyes on me and sighed, though before he could comment on it Vincent spoke up.

"Are you done with that?" Vincent didn’t even seem to care that I wasn’t eating he just looked like he wanted to eat everything on the table in a second as he pointed at my plate.

"Yeah…" I trailed of when he snatched the plate before I could even say “be my guest”. I watched as he devoured the omelet in a matter of seconds and I rolled my eyes in amusement.

"What a dog…" I couldn’t help but chuckle at my lame attempt to tease him but Alex seemed to catch the meaning of it and he didn’t seem too amused…

"Not funny Sparky." He growled at me and I gave him a bored look.

"Well I wasn’t talking to you grumpy pants." I smirked when his eyes grew a little darker because I knew that I had gotten to him. This was to easy really. Didn’t he have any self-control?

Apparently not…

Before anybody could say anything Alex had thrown himself over the table aiming for me and I fell back with a shocked yelp barely dodging his hands as they reached for me.

"Shit, What the hell are you doing you lunatic!" I cursed as I tried to get away from him by crawling under the table but he managed to get a hold on the one ankle I hadn’t actually hurt yet.

"Come here pup! I’ll teach you not to speak to me like that!" Alex was still growling and I could only try my best to get his hands of me. Jeez, who was I kidding? I didn’t even have the slightest chance as Alex grip tightened and I was carelessly dragged from under the table.

I was pulled up from the floor roughly and Alex dark eyes met mine full on. I cursed mentally as I couldn’t help but lower my gaze slightly as power practically radiated off of him. He let out a dark growl and I surprised myself by letting out a small whimper. Alex seemed to calm down a little when he heard my obvious retreat and his grip loosened a fraction, but mind you, it was still tight!

Great! I did not just show weakness to him god dammit! I groaned when I realized that I had done exactly that.

I saw Kevin starting to smile in amusement and I glared at him to get him to leave it. Of course he ignored me…

"About time you realize this isn’t a fight you can win Ash." He laughed as he said it and I groaned again.

"Just shut up will you?" I growled as he continued to laugh and I could feel the urge to kill him rise.

"You should be happy they haven’t done anything worse since you actually ran away earlier and, by the looks of it, managed to hurt yourself in the process too." Amber cut in and Vincent nodded in agreement to this. "Traitors" I thought bitterly.

"Actually we haven’t said anything about not punishing him, have we now?" Alex voice had turned husky and I shivered as I felt his hot breath brush my neck slightly.

"No we haven’t." Adam agreed just as huskily and I could see him eyeing me from the corner of my eye.

"Now…hahaha… let’s just calm down and think about how badly we do not want to punish Ash or his sexy ass because he is simply too hot to touch shall we?" I put on an as innocent face as possibly as I tried to come up with a way to get away from this. I did not like the way this was turning out…

"I think you should punish him." Everybody turned their eyes on Kate when her small voice made itself heard over our ranting. I stared at her in disbelief and she gave me a wicked smile.

"Hey! Why are you taking their side in this?" I choked out and her smile grew into a smirk.

"Tss Ash, I think you know why don’t you? And by the way I actually like them more than Regina. I rather ship the four A’s than ReginAsh." She stated firmly and I actually gaped at her with wide eyes. Ship? God, how was she only five?! I face palmed myself and groaned loudly in annoyance.

"Why does everybody have to take their side in this?!" I asked bewildered and Alex let out a genuine laugh. He took a hold under my chin and tilted my face in his direction before he leaned in and gave me a small smile. I gulped at his closeness and my eyes unconsciously dropped down as I stared at his slightly parted lips, my heart beginning to beat louder in my chest. Alex smirked knowingly at me and as much as I wanted to I couldn’t drop my gaze.

"Because, little one, both you and I know that we’re already winning this." he finally whispered.