Best friend's brother
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Summary: You're Colter's best friend and one of the few people he trusts to help him with his cases. But while helping him search for a missing backpacker in Montana, you never expected his brother, Russell Shaw, to become someone so important to you.
𝑾𝒂𝒓𝒏𝒊𝒏𝒈𝒔: • suicide mentioned • best friend's brother • harsh words • cussing • missing person • kissing
You were helping Colter on a case, someone in Montana went missing, apparently he was hiking. A lot of people said he just wanted to disappear, start a new life over, or it was suicide, but his parents were sure it wasn't. His parents hired Colter to search him, and Colter asked you for some help because there was a lot of ground to cover.
You arrived at the destination, Dead Man's Drop, you had to climb a lot, through the forest and up a mountain, the weather was down, it could rain or maybe snow. You parked your car next to Colter's, he too had a trailer clinging to his car where he could sleep anywhere. But there was another trailer, one you didn't know.
You looked over at the unfamiliar trailer again, curiosity getting the better of you. You looked next to you, "Colter?" You asked, but before he could answer, the door of the trailer opened.
A man stepped out, carrying a coffee cup in one hand. At first glance, you could tell he was related to Colter. There was something familiar in the way he carried himself, the same confidence, but there was also something different.
Colter noticed where you were looking and sighed slightly. "That's my brother." Your eyebrows lifted, you've heard a lot about his brother, but you never expected to meet him, and you sure as hell didn't expect him to look so handsome. "Russell." He introduced himself, the man looked over at the two of you, a small smirk appearing on his face.
"Let me guess," he said as he walked closer. "You're the person who keeps my brother from getting himself killed?" You couldn't help but laugh.
"Something like that."
Russell looked at Colter, then back at you.
"Interesting." Colter crossed his arms, "Don't you even dare, she's off limits." As you heard that, you shot him a look that said 'what the fuck!?', you turned your head back to Russell, "Don't listen to him. I'm free." Russell broke the starting argument, he wanted to lighten the mood, but that didn't go as planned, "How do you two get any jobs done bickering like this?" "Shut up, Russell." You and Colter both said at the same time. "Grab your stuff, we'll start the search." Colter ordered, no room for arguments or back talk.
You actually loved the forest, knew your way around one and how to perfectly search for someone or something in one, so it was obvious that you went first. Behind you walked Colter and Russell together, but even though they grew up in a forest and learned how to survive, they kept talking and arguing over the smallest things. You ignored them, searching for the missing backpacker until they finally pissed you off enough to flip out. They had been so busy arguing that they didn't see part of the evidence, and Russell accidentally stepped on it, "oh no." You sighed, "look what you two have done now! You keep ruining this whole investigation. Either make up now or shut up until we're done with this investigation." Colter and Russell felt both embarrassed, they hadn't meant to ruin the evidence, "I'm sorry," Colter started, "we'll focus on the investigation."
"You always this bossy?" Russell teased, catching up to you, you didn't answer, only picked up your pace, but for some reason Russell finally kept up with you. "You know, most people at least pretend to tolerate me." "Sounds like a them problem. I’m not responsible for everyone else’s poor judgment." You answered, catching him off guard, Russell whistled and said "you're fire, i can work with that."
Eventually everyone made it to the top, you spread out to find more evidence, so you didn't expect to find him here, "Russ, what are you doing here?" You asked, crossing your arms. "Aww, you got a nickname for me already, Sweetheart?" You rolled your eyes and decided not to answer that. "So did you find something here?" Russell dropped the teasing attitude and focused on the case, "yeah, here, see these footsteps, he went this way. I also found his backpack over there." He said as he pointed to a tree further up. "Okay, i'll call Colter and then we'll check it out." You said, seriously focused on the case now, as you call Colter, it starts to rain, through the rain hitting the leaves on the ground and the low wifi, Colter and you managed to figure out your location. "Okay, he'll be here in a few minutes, let's look around while we wait." "I'll search over here." Russell answered you but his gaze never left you.
You, Cotler and Russell moved quickly through the rain, following the footsteps before the storm washed them away. It had been a few hours, you three had actually found some evidence and there was a cave nearby, you wanted to check it out immediately, but the storm was too heavy, Colter called you back, "It's too dangerous, we can search in there tomorrow!" Cotler called out through the thick and loud storm, "but what if he's all alone in there!" You yelled back, "I know you want to save him, we all do, but you gotta come back, sweetheart!" Russell yelled back, his rough voice cutting through the loud rain. Colter shot Russell a look but didn't argue about what he called you, not now in a storm as heavy as this. You looked back at the cave one more time, it was safe from the storm, the Shaw brothers are right, dammit.
Walking through the storm, you all made it back to camp, Colter went into his trailer the second you got back, but Russell didn't rush. "You wanna come back to my trailer?" He invited, he wasn't being pushy, he wasn't as teasing like he was first. He really wanted you to come back with him. You took his hand and followed him, the rain outside kept getting louder and heavier, but inside was warm.
"Get comfortable, you'll be here for a while." Russell said, his voice softer than before, he grabbed a towel and handed it to you "here you go." You thanked him while drying yourself off. Russell watched you, "so...how long have you and my brother been friends?" You looked at him, a little surprised by the random question, "uhm...ten years." That was a long time, especially because Russell and Colter haven't talked for twenty years. Russell nodded, rubbing a hand through his hair while thinking, "He has probably told you about me, about our father," he paused, rubbing his stubble with his hand, "i'm not as bad as he thinks, y'know." You sat down next to him on his bed, you didn't look at him though, "i know," Russell looked surpised and let out a small laugh, "to be honest, i never believed that story." You continued, looking back at Russell. Russell's eyes changed, hope maybe? No, there was something else you saw in his eyes, but you couldn't quite name it. "You really believe that?" You nodded, your heart suddenly beating much louder than the rain against the trailer roof.
For a moment, neither of you spoke.
Russell studied your face, as if trying to decide whether you meant it. Slowly, he lifted a hand and brushed a damp strand of hair behind your ear, his fingers lingering against your cheek for just a second.
"Thank you," he said quietly.
Before you had the chance to answer, he leaned in, giving you every opportunity to pull away. When you didn't, his lips met yours gently, hesitant enough to let you pull away if you wanted to. Instead, you found yourself leaning into him, your hand instinctively resting against his chest. The kiss lingered for a few quiet seconds, neither of you in any hurry to end it. Outside, rain drummed steadily against the trailer roof, the sound fading into the background until it was just the two of you.
He drew back just enough to meet your eyes, his thumb still resting against your cheek.
"I..." He let out a quiet laugh, shaking his head. "I've wanted to do that since you told me to shut up in the woods."












