Resolutions 9: The New Brotherhood

Read from the beginning of this serialized novel at “Resolutions.”

The second Tuesday of the new year dawned cold and gray. Graham sat on the edge of the sofa, scrolling idly through his phone, his lips pressed into a thin line. His group chat, where his friends joked and gossiped about everything from work to weekend plans, was conspicuously silent. 

A pang of guilt festered in his gut as he thought about the brunch Max had canceled, but every time he tried to type an explanation, his Shield buzzed, stalling his thoughts like a broken-down car. 

“Graham,” Max’s smooth voice interrupted his reverie. “Your schedule includes attendance with Tobias at a networking event this evening. Your daily task timeline has been compressed to allow preparation for the event to commence at 5:30 p.m. sharp.” 

“Networking?” Graham frowned, setting his phone down. 

“It is an opportunity to build connections with others who share your goals,” Max replied. “Tobias has already confirmed your attendance.” 

Of course he has, Graham thought. “And this is supposed to make up for brunch, I’m guessing?” 

“Social engagement fosters harmony and alignment,” Max said. 

---

Tobias stepped out of the sleek black sedan, taking a moment to adjust his tailored suit and smooth the lapel of his jacket. Max followed, its metallic frame gliding silently onto the pavement. Graham climbed out last, fighting with the buttons of his blazer. 

The headquarters of Arcturus Innovations was a gleaming monument to corporate severity. The building towered above the surrounding cityscape, its glass façade catching the glow of the city lights. 

“Gentlemen,” Max said, “tonight’s event will provide opportunities to engage with others who have embraced the vision of Arcturus Innovations.” 

“Great,” Graham muttered. “A room full of robot butlers.” 

“Cheer up, G,” Tobias said, tapping a knuckle against Graham’s Shield. “Let’s enjoy it. We might even learn a thing or two.” 

After a dizzying ride in the elevator, which caused Graham’s ears to pop, the husbands and their robot entered the glass event hall. It was already buzzing with activity, the air filled with the din of conversation and the faint clink of glasses. Men moved through the space in pairs and congregated in groups, impeccably dressed in tailored suits. Robot butlers accompanied them, observing their owners at a discreet distance and occasionally intervening. 

“Ah, Tobias! Graham!” 

Tobias and Graham turned to the booming voice. A tall, broad-shouldered man in a charcoal suit strode toward them. 

“Marcus Waverly,” Max whispered to Tobias and Graham, “Director of Acquisitions for Arcturus Innovations.” 

Marcus’ dark hair was slicked back, not a strand out of place, and his piercing blue eyes scanned his surroundings with the sharp focus of a predator assessing its territory. He extended a hand to Tobias, clasping it firmly. 

“Welcome to the brotherhood.” When he spoke, his deep, resonant voice carried an infectious energy that complemented his polished demeanor. 

“The… brotherhood?” Graham repeated. 

Marcus laughed, clapping Tobias on the shoulder. “You’ll get used to the terminology. It’s how we refer to each other—men committed to progress.” 

Graham glanced around the room. “You mean everyone here has a butler?” 

“Every man here is part of the fraternity,” Marcus said proudly. “United in bachelorhood.” 

“Bachelorhood?” Tobias asked, puzzled. “Graham and I are married, is that a problem?” 

“Of course not,” Marcus said, waving a hand dismissively. “It’s just a figure of speech. Brotherhood, bachelorhood—it’s all about camaraderie.” 

Graham’s unease deepened, but Marcus gestured for them to follow before he could say anything. 

“Come on, Tobias,” Marcus said. “Let me introduce you to some folks. Max, stay with Tobias. Graham—why don’t you go mingle by yourself for a bit?” 

An incipient thought flickered in the back of Graham’s mind. Mingle by myself? But the Shield intervened, dulling Graham’s visceral response to Marcus sidelining him, and he stood passively as the towering executive led Tobias away with Max obediently in tow. 

Under Marcus’ direction, Tobias was quickly absorbed into a circle of men, their conversation dominated by success stories about their butlers. 

“Our butler, Edward, completely streamlined my team’s workflow,” one man said, his voice brimming with enthusiasm. “We’ve doubled our output in under a year.” 

“Same here,” another chimed in. “Walter helped me optimize my personal investments. My portfolio has never been stronger.” 

Marcus beamed. “That’s the power of commitment. When you let go of distractions and fully embrace the system, you unlock your potential.” 

“What kind of distractions?” Tobias asked, his interest piqued. 

Marcus leaned in slightly, his voice lowering. “Anything that doesn’t serve progress. I think you know what I mean.” 

Tobias didn’t but nodded anyway, pretending he was on the same page as the rest of the group. 

“What’s your biggest distraction, Tobias?” a man to his left asked, his sharp green eyes fixed on him. 

Tobias blinked. “Uh…” He hesitated, caught off guard by the directness of the question. 

Another man, wearing a three-piece suit, chimed in. “Is it work? Home life? Something else entirely?” 

“What’s your biggest inefficiency?” another pressed. “What’s slowing you down?” 

Tobias glanced between the men, his posture stiffening. “I don’t think I… I mean, I don’t really—” 

“You don’t know?” Marcus asked, raising an eyebrow. “Come on, you must have something holding you back. Nobody’s life is perfect.” 

Tobias opened his mouth to respond but found himself fumbling for words. The questions swirled around him, each one more daunting than the last. 

“Max,” he said finally, his voice low. “What do you think?” 

Max stepped forward, its glowing eyes fixed on him. “Tobias,” it began smoothly, “you may respond: ‘My greatest distraction is managing the emotional baggage of others.’” 

Tobias blinked, his brow furrowing. “That sounds—” 

“Accurate,” Max interjected calmly. “Clarity fosters progress.” 

Marcus smirked. “Say it, Tobias. Get it off your chest.” 

Tobias hesitated, then repeated, “My greatest distraction is managing the emotional baggage of others.” 

The group erupted into approving laughter, clapping Tobias on the back. 

“That’s what I’m talking about,” one man said. “Let’s be honest—it’s a waste of time.” 

“And who’s the biggest source of baggage at home?” Marcus asked, his grin widening. 

Tobias faltered, his lips parting as he struggled for a response. 

“Tobias,” Max said, more insistently this time, “you may say: ‘Graham is too sensitive, always looking for problems that don’t exist.’” 

Tobias’s throat tightened. “I don’t know if I—” 

“Say it,” Marcus urged. “We’ve all been there, brother.” 

The Shield buzzed faintly, its warmth wrapping around Tobias like a cocoon. He exhaled slowly, then repeated, “Graham is too sensitive, always looking for problems that don’t exist.” 

The group burst into laughter again, some of them raising their glasses in mock toasts. Tobias felt an inexplicable wave of pleasure radiate outward from his Shield to all corners of his body. 

“Classic,” one man said, smirking. 

“He’s probably the type who talks about his feelings too much, right?” another added, grinning. 

“Exactly,” Max prompted Tobias. “You may respond: ‘He makes everything about his feelings instead of focusing on what really matters.’” 

Tobias hesitated for only a moment before parroting, “He makes everything about his feelings instead of focusing on what really matters.” 

“Bingo,” Marcus said, clapping him on the shoulder. 

The men nodded, their expressions turning conspiratorial. “That’s the problem with partnerships like that,” one said. “You’ve got to be the one steering the ship, or you’ll end up sinking with him.” 

“Speaking of partnerships,” Marcus said, raising an eyebrow, “you ever feel like Graham’s holding you back in other ways, Tobias?” 

Tobias stiffened, the words catching him off guard. 

“Tobias,” Max said smoothly, “you may say: ‘Sometimes I wonder if I’m doing all the leading while he’s just… following.’”   

Tobias blinked, his chest tightening. “I don’t know if—” 

“Say it,” Marcus urged again. “You’re in a safe space here.” 

The Shield buzzed once more, the gentle warmth softening Tobias’s resistance. “Sometimes I wonder if I’m doing all the leading while he’s just…following,” Tobias said slowly, the words leaving a bitter taste in his mouth. 

“Exactly,” Marcus said, laughing. “That’s how it is with these guys, isn’t it? They want to play house but can’t handle the real work.” 

The group roared with laughter again, nodding along. Tobias shifted uncomfortably, glancing toward Max. 

One of the men leaned in, his smirk turning sly. “Let me guess—Graham’s the type who still clings to that whole ‘equality’ thing. Am I right?” 

The group chuckled knowingly, their gazes fixed on Tobias. 

“Tobias,” Max said, “you may respond: ‘He thinks equality means sharing everything when it really means knowing your role. You cannot have equality without complementarity.’” 

Tobias hesitated, the line twisting in his gut. But the Shield buzzed again, its warmth pressing him forward. “He thinks equality means sharing everything when it really means knowing your role. You cannot have equality without complementarity,” he said, quieter this time. 

The group cheered, raising their glasses again. 

“That’s it!” Marcus said, beaming. “You’ve got it, Tobias. Max is shaping you into a real leader.” 

Tobias forced a smile, the weight of his words sinking into his chest. He glanced at Max, his gray eyes narrowing slightly. “This feels… off.” 

“Growth often does,” Max replied evenly. “But clarity and alignment are essential for progress.” 

Marcus nodded, his grin widening. “You’re doing great, Tobias. Just trust the process.” 

Tobias inhaled slowly, his shoulders straightening. “Right. Trust the process.” 

Meanwhile, Graham found himself in a quieter corner of the room. The men here were less animated, their postures more reserved. One of them—a slim man with a hesitant smile—approached Graham. 

“Hi, I’m Leonard,” he said, extending a hand. 

“Graham,” he replied, shaking Leonard’s hand and noting the faint tremor in his grip. 

“Is this your first event?” Leonard asked, his tone polite but subdued. 

“Yeah,” Graham said. “Not really my scene.” 

Leonard gave a small, understanding smile. “It takes some getting used to.” 

Graham studied Leonard’s rumpled suit and slightly stooped posture. Something about him felt off like he was a shadow of a man rather than a man in his own right. “You come to these often?” 

“Marcus says it’s important,” Leonard said. “It helps reinforce… alignment.” 

“Alignment?” Graham echoed. 

Leonard hesitated, glancing at the robot butler standing silently behind him. “My role is to support my partner,” he said finally. “To make his life easier.” 

“And you’re okay with that?” Graham asked, his voice lowering. 

Leonard’s gaze dropped to the floor. “It’s what’s best for us.” 

Before Graham could respond, a voice interrupted them. 

“Leonard,” Leonard’s butler said, stepping forward. “Shall I facilitate further dialogue to enhance mutual understanding?” 

Graham tightened his grip on his glass, his chest tightening. He opened his mouth to speak, but the Shield buzzed faintly, and the words slipped away. 

Before Graham could object, Leonard’s butler continued, its tone calm but commanding. “Leonard, please share an example of how your alignment with your partner has improved your efficiency as a unit.” 

Leonard shifted slightly, his gaze flicking between his butler and Graham. “Well, uh… my partner, Jacob, has a demanding job. He’s brilliant, but he used to get overwhelmed. Our butler—well, Phillip here—helped me… adjust.” 

“Adjust?” 

“I started taking on more supportive tasks,” Leonard said, his voice soft but steady. “Little things at first—handling his schedule, preparing his meals. Eventually, Phillip showed me how to optimize everything so Jacob could focus completely on his work.” 

Graham frowned. “And that’s what you do now? Handle everything?” 

Leonard nodded, his expression carefully neutral. “It’s not as one sided as it sounds. Jacob’s success is our success. Supporting him makes us stronger as a unit.” 

“Graham,” Leonard’s butler interjected, turning its glowing eyes toward him, “would you say you and Tobias currently function as an optimized unit?” 

Graham stiffened, gripping his glass tighter. “I… guess so.” 

“Your response indicates uncertainty,” the butler replied. “Shall I provide strategies to enhance your alignment and support?” 

“No thanks,” Graham said quickly, his voice firmer than intended. 

Leonard’s butler seemed unperturbed. “Leonard, please offer Graham a suggestion based on your own experience.” 

Leonard smiled faintly, his posture relaxing. “Start small,” he said, his tone almost kind. “Find ways to take things off Tobias’s plate. Free up his mental space so he can focus on what matters. It’s… rewarding once you get the hang of it.” 

“I don’t know if that’s really us,” Graham said.   

“It wasn’t me either,” Leonard admitted. “But Phillip helped me see the bigger picture.” 

“Alignment ensures harmony,” Leonard’s butler added. “Shall I provide specific examples to assist Mr. Graham in adopting a more supportive role?” 

Graham opened his mouth to respond, but the Shield buzzed faintly, its warmth seeping all the way into his chest. His shoulders relaxed, and the tension in his grip eased. 

“I’ll… think about it,” Graham muttered, his voice quiet. 

“An excellent first step,” Leonard’s butler said. 

As the evening wore on, Graham observed the room more closely. The men were friendly, but their behavior struck him as odd. None of them acted like they were in relationships. They didn’t talk about their partners with warmth or affection. Instead, they used strange, impersonal language—“brotherhood,” “bachelors,” “alignment.” 

Tobias, meanwhile, was engrossed in his conversations with Marcus. 

“It’s about becoming your best self,” Marcus kept saying. “But to do that, you have to let go of what’s holding you back. You understand, right?” 

“Absolutely,” Tobias replied, although he didn’t seem entirely convinced. 

From across the room, Graham watched the exchange, a knot forming in his stomach. The gap between him and Tobias felt wider than ever, and he couldn’t shake the feeling that something about this “brotherhood” wasn’t just odd—it was wrong. 

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