The last thing Khalid wanted to wake up to was Malik’s unholy screaming. It’d been a very long time since he had to share a room with his brother. However, his brother’s high-pitched screams nearly jolted Khalid out of his bed and onto the piles of books and papers sitting by his bed. Khalid let out a loud groan into his pillow and slammed his fist against the mattress. All he wanted was to sleep in and pretend that nothing existed but the back of his eyelids. Was that so much to ask?

Apparently so because the more Khalid tried to retreat back into the warm comfort of sleep, the louder Malik’s screams became. It sounded like an army was marching back and forth in the room next to his and the streams of sunlight coming from the window nearest to his bed weren’t helping. Khalid groaned into his pillow and pawed around for his cell phone, unlocking it and scrolling through his messages. He didn’t text many people aside from his parents, Malik, a few classmates for projects, and the very few people he’d like to call his friends.

khalidicious changed the group name from fuck competitive matches to the unholy hour.

khalidicious | tell me why i woke up to Malik screaming 'he's coming today'

ameizing | we still have weeks till school starts

ameizing | he's pretty torn up about vacation ending, isn’t he?

There were many reasons why he loved Mei. She was sweet, saw the best in everything and everyone, and could make the best snow cones. Although, his disgust at being awake at seven in the morning and being subjected to his brother’s rummaging outweighed the sensibilities of a friend.

khalidicious | he's gonna be a spirit if he doesn't shut up

theowoahsia | 24/7 mood

khalidicious | scale of 0 to 10, how far gone are you?

theowoahsia | 3, idk how long that’s gonna last

Khalid sat up and frowned at the screen. A three was only two points away from a five which meant being two points away from a panic attack or emotional shutdown. He glanced around his room, taking in the mess that practically swallowed his floor. Cleaning aside, his summer homework was almost done, he could just slip on a shirt, some pants, hop in his shoes and hurry over. Though before he could map out how he’d do that without alerting either of his parents or Malik to his presence, his phone vibrated.

ameizing | want me to come over?

theowoahsia | nah, i think khalid’s dilemma is going to be the highlight of my day

She’s well enough to poke fun at the very least.

Khalid rolled his eyes and laid down with a loud thump, rolling over onto his back.

khalidicious | do you benefit from my suffering or is my presence helping?

theowoahsia | yes

khalidicious | have i ever told you i hate you

theowoahsia | lying on a sunday khal for shame

ameizing | ANYWAY, what has Malik so worked up?

His fingers hovered over the screen as he tried to wrack his brain for anything that happened in the last few days. Their dad had closed another deal with one of his business partners, their mom took them for a shopping spree and they’d taken multiple pictures for Instagram and Snapchat to fawn over. However, there wasn’t anything else that could have warranted such a re--

Oh no.

Khalid’s eyes closed and he nearly felt his soul leave his body. The act of blocking out the repetitive notifications and messages from Malik was proving to be his downfall. He didn’t even want to remember the “development” that his brother had been talking about for the past two weeks. Something about meeting a friend, fulfilling one of the goals on his bucket list and other things that Khalid just tuned out after the first two days of pestering.

khalidicious | he’s been talking about meeting up with his penpal turned internet friend meet-up for the last two weeks??

theowoahsia | hold on, he’s meeting someone that he’s never seen before

theowoahsia | and you’re just letting him go?

theowoahsia | guess he is gonna be a spirit by the end of the day

Khalid scowled but he couldn't say that she was entirely wrong. 

Their parents hadn’t been exactly thrilled at the idea of Malik talking to someone on the internet. Obviously, they couldn’t stop him but the idea of Malik talking to this person was less threatening than him actually meeting them. There were a million things that could have gone wrong, especially if they didn’t know where he was. Their parents hadn’t budged on their agreement that Malik wouldn’t be allowed to meet this stranger while Malik looked to Khalid for support on finally meeting his friend.

It’d been an uphill battle but in the end, and Khalid was the tiebreaker. He couldn’t just crush his little brother’s dreams after so long and he’d worked hard to build up this amount of trust with Malik after years of fighting. So even if he didn’t believe in this stranger’s intentions, he did believe in Malik.

khalidicious | okay first of all, shut up theodosia. second of all, he’s meeting them at our house

theowoahsia | inviting a stranger to your home, have those movie nights taught you nothing

khalidicious | taught me never to let you pick a film, miss ‘the ring 2 is better than the original’

theowoahsia | i wasn't gonna bring it up earlier but you said the same thing twice

What in the f--

Khalid scrolled up and gasped. It wasn’t like him to make mistakes in his spelling. Grammar was something that their teachers took pride in marking off on and he wanted to be as flawless as possible especially in the event of papers or asking questions in class. 

Theodosia Evans, you are a dead woman.

khalidicious | how dare you

theowoahsia | you started it, i finish it

khalidicious | speaking of finishing let us not mention who wanted to watch the new version of it and

ameizing | FREEZE

His fingers hovered over the screen, frozen in place as he stared at the screen. Three bubbles appeared as Mei typed and the tension in his shoulders lessened. Laying bonelessly, he stared at the screen and smiled a little. It was good that she was speaking out even in a texting environment. Mei’s voice was often so quiet that others didn’t hear her when she spoke and being the soft-hearted and kind person she was, she normally didn’t speak up until she had enough.

theowoahsia | okay

khalidicious | ok

ameizing | so glad we came up with that word,

ameizing | maybe you should get up and off your phone and go talk to Malik??

Better than laying in bed and not being able to go back to sleep.

Khalid sighed and threw his blankets to the wall, shuffling up on the headboard and reaching out to the side of the bed where his legs were propped against the wall. It took him a moment to have them attached, wincing as the nerves connected and the metal latches clicked. Drawing in a deep breath, he exhaled hard and slowly stood up. His phone left abandoned on the bed as he got dressed. A pair of sweatpants and a tank top would be good enough to go supplex his brother for waking him up so early.

Picking up his phone, he flicked to the newest message as he walked out of the room.

theowoahsia | then get back here so i can hear about it and kick your ass <3

Khalid’s eyebrows knitted together and he rolled his eyes, a little smile forming.

khalidicious | you're right mei

khalidicious | and fuck you theodosia

theowoahsia | sorry  cherie, i'm not your type and you are definitely not mine

It might’ve been a little childish but there was absolutely no way he could let Theodosia have the last word. Khalid rounded the corner and leaned against the wall separating his from the disaster zone that was Malik’s.

khalidicious | and what exactly is my type?

ameizing | Khalid no

khalidicious | Khalid yes

theowoahsia | no no, it is alright mei, i got this

sumbatcha | are we dragging Khalid on this fine morning? >:D

khalidicious | oh hell no, i’m out

There was a time to fight and a time to flee, and he’d rather run than face Summer without any coffee in his system. Stuffing his phone in his pocket, Khalid sighed and gave himself a few deep breaths before knocking on Malik’s door. Some strings of curses and worrisome falling noises later, Malik opened the door with a glowing smile.

“Good morning Khal,” He chirped. “What can I do for you?”

“You can tell me why I shouldn’t kill you for waking me up so early on a Sunday,” Khalid deadpanned with a hand on his hip.

“Because I am your darling little brother,” he said. Khalid’s expression didn’t change in the slightest and Malik’s smile almost wavered so he added, “and today is a special day!”

Khalid sighed and rolled his eyes, “The last time you did this, you were going on a date with Yusuf. Should I tell him he has competition?” He moved his hand from his hip and gave his nails a once-over while pulling his phone out of his pocket with the other. Though before he could unlock it, Malik’s hand caught his wrist. The Jackson brothers locked eyes. Malik’s eyes narrowed, Khalid’s eyebrow raised.

“Khalid, I’ll kill you,” Malik deadpanned.

“The feeling is mutual,” he replied and gently pushed Malik to the side, wrenching his arm from his grip. “Make way.”

He made his way into Malik’s room and immediately stopped. The floor could be seen and everything seemed neatly put away and straightened up. In fact, there wasn’t a piece of dirty laundry in sight as it all was placed properly in his laundry basket. Khalid felt a chill run down his spine, nearly jumping once Malik shut the door and went to sit down.

“Okay, Regina George.”

Getting over the initial shock of his little brother actually cleaning his room, Khalid frowned.

“First of all, Regina can’t hold a candle to me. Secondly, what happened in here?”

Malik rolled his eyes. The two of them would never see eye to eye on the Plastics and that was fine by Khalid. However, at the question of what happened in his room, the younger Jackson shrugged and gestured around.

“Cleaning up in case he wants to come upstairs.”

“You’re inviting a stranger in your room ?” Khalid’s voice was aghast and he held up his phone, frowning.

Malik rolled his eyes and sighed, “He’s not a stranger.”

Though after Khalid hadn’t replied for a minute, he looked up at him and said, “What are you doing?”

“Texting Yusuf,” Khalid replied.

“Khalid!” Malik lunged for the phone with wide eyes, Khalid‘s hand planted firmly on his chest as he typed out the message with the other. “Don’t send it, seriously!”

“Okay, Okay. I was just joking.”

Malik sagged with a soft thanks and Khalid bit back a smile. Their parents often complained that Malik never took things seriously. At one point, he might have agreed with them but seeing the appreciative smile on his brother’s face and the amount of work he put into his room, he couldn’t doubt Malik’s commitment at all.

“So, tell me more about your friend.”

“Really?”

Khalid plopped down next to Malik and set his phone aside, making sure it was turned off so the latter didn’t start another fight trying to wrench it from his grasp.

“Well, dad only agreed to you meeting him if I was here and it took place at home. I should know who I am seeing.”

“I can’t thank you enough for this, Khalid.”

“Don't worry about it. Now, tell me about this stranger.”

Khalid leaned forward, bracing his elbow against his knee and resting his cheek against his palm to give Malik his attention. And the latter seemed to preen as he started talking, moving his hands with his words.

“Well, he’s not a stranger. I started talking to him when I was seven and he was nine. It was a penpal exchange between our schools, remember?”

“Somewhat,” Khalid barely remembered the other children from his elementary school days but he did remember Malik’s excitement over receiving mail.

“I liked talking to him so much that I begged mom to send letters between us, his handwriting is atrocious though,” Malik laughed and Khalid resisted the urge to remind him that his own handwriting wasn’t much better.

“What’d you talk about?”

“School, what our favorite things were, did you know he rides horses?!”

“You’re kidding me.”

“Not at all,” Malik smirked and jabbed Khalid’s side. “He sent me pictures of him and this is real!”

Khalid tried to hide his interest. Truly and honestly, he did. However, Malik seemed to have some idea that he liked cowboys ever since he admitted to having a crush on Spike Spiegel. The tips of Khalid’s ears turned red as he swatted at his brother’s hand and gave him a shove, sending him toppling backward onto the bedspread laughing. Rolling his eyes, they lapsed into a conversation about what to do for the rest of the day until Malik’s phone vibrated and he curled up to check what was happening.

Shrugging it off, Khalid went back to his phone.

the unholy hour

sumbatcha | oh look, khalidont’s back.

sumbatcha | sooooo what’s up

khalidicious | oh look siratcha is up

sumbatcha | okay rude

khalidicious | malik cleaned his room

sumbatcha | que?

theowoahsia | excuse me??

ameizing | no way

khalidicious | he is so excited for this friend, but I’m Worried™

sumbatcha | want me to look this person up?

sumbatcha | i can find out about them,

khalidicious | well..

ameizing | how about we wait to see?? Maybe they’re a good person???

theowoahsia | or maybe they try to axe murder both Khalid and Malik

ameizing | pls tell me i’m picking the next movie

sumbatcha | yeeeep

khalidicious | mhm

Although Khalid tried to tell himself that Theodosia's axe murder comments might not happen, a small voice in the back of his mind asked what if they did. He stole a glance towards Malik and frowned. 

Was he putting his brother's life at risk?

Khalid sighed and turned his back to Malik, opening up another chat log.

khalidicious → sumbatcha

khalidicious | do it

sumbatcha | on it

sumbatcha | usual fee?

khalidicious | mhm

Khalid’s fingers hovered over the screen when Malik yelled and vaulted off his bed. Startled, Khalid watched his brother make a beeline for the door, yelling “He’s here!” all the while. He pocketed his phone and hurried after Malik as they headed down the stairs and to the front door.

“Wait a minute Malik,” Khalid seized him by the shoulder before he could run out the front door. “We need to have a plan in case this person isn’t who he says he is. He already knows our address, and if he is someone who can harm you, we need to be prepared.”

Malik sighed and rested his hand on Khalid’s shoulder. “Khal,” he said softly with a little smile. “Do you believe me?”

Khalid’s gaze flicked between his brother’s hopeful expression and the door. Looking back at Malik, he could see the flicker of various emotions. Worry, fear, nervousness. With a single word, Khalid could make or break what Malik dreamed of for so long. 

“Yes,” Khalid smiled. “I do. But just be careful, okay?”

Malik gave him a nod and opened the door, standing in the doorway for a minute and looking out into the driveway in front of the Jackson household. After he’d found what he was looking for, his face brightened and he called out excitedly.

“Gabriel?!”

Another voice called back to him, it was much deeper and Khalid's eyes shot open as he looked at the person in the driveway.

 Woah.