22. "C'mon, I need a Player 2."
"I really am not interested in playing…"
Ravis watched the screen as Eduard played a game on his laptop. Normally, the intellect of the trio would have chuckled at the idea of him playing so frivolously on it, but he had found himself being unable to stop once he started.
"It's being a fun game, Ravis, you should at least try it." Eduard suggested, presenting the screen to the younger Baltic. Of course, he was very interested. Normally, Ravis had to entertain himself in obscure ways, since he had few friends outside of the house, and inside the only technology he could call his own was a television in his room, and he easily grew bored of that.
"Are you sure I can really play? What if I get addicted?" He asked. Eduard chuckled.
"I'm not addicted, I just want to fill my free time with something fun, and I liked this." He pointed out as he removed himself from in front of the laptop and let Ravis take a seat.
"What is it?" Ravis asked, tilting his head at the screen.
"Play it, you have to learn as you go along." Eduard explained, not wanting to reveal any details of the game.
Ravis nodded, and engulfed himself into the game.
After a while, Ravis had grown weary. He couldn't understand why Eduard had been so invested in it. The game seemed boring, with simple instructions. It was merely a maze game.
"I don't see how you are finding this so fun." Ravis complained, but Eduard just smiled.
"You will, I promise. I'm going to go get my other laptop and play with you, so be waiting." He said, before walking out of the room. Ravis frowned, before watching him walk off. He really was bored of the game. He didn't find it entertaining in the slightest. He would have prefered watching tv over this, but he played on, wanting to please Eduard. After all, if he was so dedicated, then something had to be good about the game.
In the other room, Eduard stood beside the entryway of the kitchen where Ravis was playing. He chuckled to himself quietly, before spotting Toris out of the corner of his eyes.
"Oh, Toris, could you be doing me a favor? I know it was my turn to be taking the rent, but I forgot, could you please do that?" He asked.
Toris frowned, but said no objections. Eduard was fully aware that Toris preferred doing the chore anyways, since he was the only one with the age appropriate face. Eduard had taken rent before, but it still made him uneasy.
"Yes, I suppose. But don't mess with Ravis while I'm gone." Toris warned, knowing the the middle oldest had a track record of toying with the youngest.
"I promise." Eduard smiled, which of course left the eldest suspicious, but he left without a word, already having the money for rent on hand, since he only trusted himself with the funds anyways.
"Be seeing you shortly!" Eduard called as Toris left, and he silently whispered a thank you to whatever diety allowed Toris to leave so his prank could commence.
He was also thankful that Toris had been gone only a few minutes when a terrified scream echoed from within the kitchen. Eduard's eyes lit up, but he quickly tried to refrain from laughing as he bolted into the kitchen.
"Ravis?!" He yelled as he saw how the boy had ended up. He had somehow managed to push the laptop into the middle of the table, a pop up scary figure on the screen. Ravis was on the floor, panting heavily, tears welled up in his eyes from the jump scare.
"Did you know that would happen?" Ravis asked, looking up at Eduard with hurt eyes. The boy wanted to burst into laughter. Of course he had known, he had been planning this, since he knew Ravis was so easy to scared. But suddenly, seeing how hurt and frightened he was, Eduard felt guilty. He wasn't sure why though. He hadn't before.
"No way, I wouldn't have made you play it if I had." Eduard lied, and the gullible Ravis believed it, wiping his eyes. He was embarrassed for having fallen and started crying, since it was nothing really threatening.
Eduard bit his inner lip, before bending down to Ravis.
"It's okay, it would have scared me too." Eduard admitted, offering the younger one a smile.
Ravis closed his eyes tightly, before hugging Eduard tightly, mostly trying to relieve himself from the embarrassment, but also needing a bit of comfort. Eduard was thrown off by the sudden embrace, but didn't have it in him to push him off.
"I'm sorry." Eduard said, hugging him slightly. Ravis sniffed but nodded, accepting the apology.
Neither of them felt like getting up, since Eduard felt really guilty, and Ravis wasn't really looking forward to having to see the image again, so they were both surprised when Toris walked into the door, and found them hugging on the ground, one covered in tears, and the other with a blotchy for crying said tears.
Toris was silent a moment, before looking at the table. "Well, I'm glad you two are getting along, but could you please not cuddle on the kitchen floor?"
"We weren't cuddling!" Both of them said simultaneously, before pulling away from each other bitterly, easily returning to their normal bickering.