Title: Treasures in the Attic
Author: S J Smith
Rating: K+
Summary: Chris goes looking for her brother.
Disclaimer: Arakawa owns all; I just play in her sandbox.
"What are you doing?" You put your hands on your hips, and glare at your little brother.
He grins, absolutely beautiful, and you know why all the girls want him. To you, he's your idiot little brother, handsome, yes, but thick as a post and twice as stubborn. "iNo/ithing." He says it the same way he used to when you were kids.
You think of smacking him upside the head, but you know better, it'll just bruise your fingers. "Seriously. You're in the attic, and there're cobwebs in your hair." Waving your hand at his head, you smirk when he flinches and swipes his fingers over his hair, eyes wide and frantic.
"There aren't any spiders, are there?"
Craning your neck, you shrug. "I don't see any. What are you doing up here, anyway?" Neither of you had been into the attic in years, not since Mom died, and you'd both helped carry up the stuff Daddy wanted to keep up the narrow stairs.
"Looking for something." His eyes light up, even in the dim room, and he crawls across the floor to drag a wooden box out from under a piece of fabric. "Aha!" Dusting the top off, he absently rubs his dirty fingers on his pants leg. "Mom's jewelry box."
You draw closer as he opens the box, seeing the treasures you played with when you were kids. These are the pirate's jewels, the swag. You recognize the pearl necklace and matching earrings, the ring with the big purple stone. And what your brother pulls out, a reverent look on his handsome mug. "That's Mom's engagement ring," you say, recognizing the sapphire and diamond set that your brother holds up to catch what little light comes through the windows.
"Uh, huh." He looks up at you, a puppy look on his face.
"What?" You glare at him.
"I…I wanted…to give this to Jiayi." He swallows, his dark eyes gleaming, overflowing with love.
You raise an eyebrow at him, the corners of your mouth turning down. "Well, Mom would've liked it," you say, but before he can scramble up and hug you, you plant a hand in his chest. "But I get the pearls!"
"Deal." He hands them to you, and you slip the necklace over your head, feeling the cold strand slithering against your neck. His eyes are wet as he rubs the ring on his shirt, blowing a breath on it and trying to shine the metal and stone.
Rolling your eyes, you thump his shoulder, affectionate. "Hey, about those webs?"
"Huh?" He's lost in staring at the stones.
You purse your mouth to hold in the grin. "If there are any spiders, they're already in your shirt."
His howl makes it all worthwhile.