|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Posted: Sat Jun 11, 2016 9:03 pm
"Avoidant...." Caspian made an "ehhhh"-ing sound in the back of his throat, tilting his head. "Not so much avoiding as I am wondering why it's any of your business in the first place. I mean, I get that Michael is your brother and you're looking out for him, but beyond that..."
He gave a shrug of his shoulders. A flicker of expression crossed his face at the mention of their brother - he knew vaguely that there were more of these boys, but not exactly how many. And he knew even less that one of them was injured, possibly dying, because of course Michael wouldn't just go around telling people that all willy nilly.
Why wouldn't he tell me?
No, he couldn't think like that. Caspian leveled a look at Peter, debating on the best path to take.
"Why are you so determined to believe that I think everything is about me?" he asked, voice still calm and relaxed. "Just because I make jokes and s**t, you think I don't know what I'm getting myself - and my family - into? You think I haven't already thought about how much this could impact my sister and my mother? That I haven't already had nightmares about all the possible things that could happen to them if I'm not strong enough?"
Caspian's shoulders rose and fell in a loose shrug. He tossed the book he was still holding into Peter's lap.
"I don't need to be told that from you, but thanks for the advice."
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Jun 11, 2016 9:19 pm
“You’re welco-oof,” he wheezed as the book was suddenly tossed into his lap, which he quickly snatched up and tucked between himself and the chair. “Just making sure,” Peter shrugged as well. “If it’s not about you, then prove it,” he said, leaving it vague on purpose.
“But like I said, I don’t want Michael hurt, and I don’t want you to get your hopes up and getting hurt if he ends up not wanting anything to do with you because he chickens out and locks himself away again,” Peter said as he stood from the chair, taking the book with him so he could lay it on the coffee table and flip open to a page about owls. The binder with the notes on youma was opened as well, and he flipped to the sketch he was working on - a winged youma that apparently looked something of a mutated owl.
“It’s easier to not get involved with people, especially when you’re also responsible for saving the world and all that,” he said as he glanced up at Caspian. “But who knows. Maybe you two being friends will be a good thing. I don’t think I’ve ever seen Michael that worried when he brought you in the other night. You must have done something to…” he started, and then stopped and shook his head.
“Anyway… I don’t know when he’ll be back. Probably not until late. Want me to tell him you stopped by or…?”
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Jun 12, 2016 3:10 am
He could not help rolling his eyes once more.
"Why does everything have to have proof?" said Caspian, half exasperated, half amused in spite of himself. "Why can't it just be that it is what it is, without needing to nitpick at everything?"
He cast a glance over at Peter, the kid looking stubborn and resolute in an expression that was relatively similar to Caspian when he was being particularly pigheaded. He wanted to say You seem awfully sure that your brother is just going to kick me to the curb, and that's not going to happen - but the words wouldn't come. Caspian couldn't guarantee that Michael wasn't going to just up and push him away one day because he'd gotten tired of him or because he'd finally realized that the age difference between them was just too much.
He was still trying hard not to think about that.
Caspian's eyes flickered over the book and the sketched owl, which looked less like an owl and more like something that belonged in a book about nightmarish creatures. "I haven't done anything more than expose him to my truly winning and charming personality," he said airily, flashing Peter a grin. "It's not my fault I'm just that delightful to be around."
He gave a shrug of his shoulders, stuffing his hands back into his pockets.
"Got a pen and a piece of paper? I'll leave him a note."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Jun 12, 2016 8:19 am
“I’m a scientist. Everything needs proof,” Peter shrugged, although he didn’t really mean it. He didn’t always need physical proof, at least when it came to people and their character, but the fact that Caspian was giving him a hard time about it mean that he wanted to nag at him even more.
“Your truly winning and charming personality could use some less artificial arrogance,” Peter rolled his eyes as he picked up the book on animals to read through the information about owls. Still, it wasn’t as though he didn’t think Caspian had potential as a friend, at least one for Michael. He was allowed to be an overprotective younger brother if he wanted to be.
“Yeah, have at it,” he said, pulling a piece of paper out of the back of his binder so he could pass it to Caspian, rolling over the pencil he’d been using to sketch with as well. “Look out for this guy, by the way. My friend and I weren’t able to dust it the other night, so it’s still out there somewhere,” he said, pointing at the sketch of the owl-like youma.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Jun 12, 2016 10:42 am
”A scientist at your age, how precocious of you,” said Caspian, grinning at Peter. “And just because you’re not one to indulge in my so-called ‘artificial arrogance’ doesn’t mean I actually have any.”
He accepted the piece of paper and knelt beside the table so he could write, scribbling with his head bent over so that Peter wouldn’t be able to see what he was doing. “Look out for giant owl creatures that will probably eat me if I get too close, got it,” said Caspian, finishing with a flourish. He folded the paper neatly into squares and passed it over to Peter.
“Give this to Michael when he gets back, okay?” he said, and patted him on the shoulder as he got to his feet again.
“See you around, Peter Banning,” said Caspian airily. “Thanks for the advice, by the way.”
And he disappeared around through the door.
(If Peter opened the paper, he would find a scribbled drawing of himself at the top, along with a scrawled note that read ”Snooping is bad, you know.”
Underneath was a drawing of a moon and stars that Michael would find familiar, as well as “Stopped by, see you next time” written underneath.)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
