A/N: Merry gift-mas, Emo Cowboy! Thanks so much for letting me write for you. This is the first time I've ever participated in something like this, so I'm super nervous to post this and I can only hope that you enjoy it. So I beg of you to go easy on me... but of course, by all means, I love concrit and please let me know what you honestly think! I also apologize in advance, I have the tendency to make my stories relatively uneventful. This fic is proof.
My biggest regret is that I couldn't make this story a little more wintery for you (I promise I tried, but I couldn't get anything to stick [see what I did there, hurr hurr]), and I know this isn't exactly what you wanted, but I hope you still like it regardless. Anyways, cheers! Happy almost new year!
Café sin Leche
Dirk stood proudly in front of the mirror, examining himself as he switched between different poses. He didn't mind the way his face was boyish, his cheeks rosy and dimpled like a child's. Perhaps it made him look a little more innocent… definitely more innocent than he actually was. He was fine with the way his smile looked silly whenever he laughed, or the way his teeth looked tiny in comparison to his big smile. He rather liked the way his emerald eyes watched him in the mirror as he stared back. He didn't even mind the way his posture wasn't completely perfect like his brother's flawless stance. No, he could look over those things and live with them.
But there was one thing about himself that he absolutely could not live with.
He stood on his tiptoes, watching his reflection rise as he lifted himself taller, as far as his fragile toes would allow him. He frowned as he reached his limit. If only he was just a little taller, tall enough to stand eye-to-eye with the other boys his age in town; tall enough to stand eye-to-eye to his brother… tall enough to simply look his age. Was that too much to ask? He wouldn't be surprised if Kevin started to pass him up in a couple of years.
Dirk came crashing down on his heels with a floor-shaking force. Even in the mirror, he could see the annoyance written all over his face. If only there was something he could do, he kept thinking to himself over and over and over until he just couldn't stand looking anymore.
As he walked to the kitchen for breakfast, he hoped Ivan wouldn't notice he was a little discouraged today. His normal cheerful expression was a bit overshadowed by a contemplative scowl.
"Good morning, Dirk," Ivan greeted him with a sleepy smile. "Breakfast is almost ready."
Dirk felt his belly rumble as he caught the scent of the food. "Great, I'm starving!" he faked a happy reply.
Ivan alternated awkwardly between cooking eggs and trying to butter some toast. "Um, would you mind to set the table for me? I need to keep an eye on the food…"
"No problem, bro… keep doing your thing."
Dirk yawned as he opened the nearby cabinet, suddenly realizing that he was desperately reaching in vain for the plates on the topmost shelf. His fingers nearly brushed the edges as he stood on the tips of his toes; he was trying not to attract Ivan's attention as he began to jump for them.
Fat chance of that.
"Oh, my apologies, Dirk… nevermind, let me just get those for you."
He felt Ivan's hand grip his shoulder and gently push him aside as he lifted an arm effortlessly to retrieve the dishes. Dirk felt like an ant as Ivan smiled gracefully down at him, offering him the plates. He must have been standing there for a minute, because he saw his older brother lift an eyebrow. "Dirk?"
Dirk quickly pulled away as he felt his cheeks get warm. "Uh, come to think of it, I'm not really hungry, Ivan. I'll… I'll see you later."
Before Ivan could even reply, Dirk had vanished out the door. He stood there in silence, still holding the two plates as he tried to rationalize what had just happened with his brother. He sighed. "Guess I'll only be needing one of these," he mumbled to himself.
Dirk couldn't take this any longer. He felt bad storming out on his brother like that, but he felt even worse about being so ridiculously short! He needed to get taller, and fast. He walked briskly through Zephyr Town, ignoring the crunch of snow beneath his feet with each step. Normally, Dirk loved the snow and everything that came with it: snowball fights, snowmen, snowboarding... however, today, it would take more than snow to cheer him up; it was going to take results. He knew someone who might could help, someone that had never let him down; someone that just might understand his struggle.
It didn't take long to find him.
"Dirk? What are you doing out here so early?"
Dirk smiled as the farmer wiped his brow, quickly disentangling himself from the rows of withered crops.
Hansel reminded him a lot of his older brother; gentle, yet hardworking, quiet, yet spirited and vibrant. More importantly, he was dependable and resourceful when it came to getting things done. Along with his well-grown crops, his dairy products were just as popular and almost fought over... something that hadn't happened at the bazaar in years. Reviving Zephyr Town's bazaar was like turning water to wine, and if he could do that, helping Dirk grow a few inches would be a cinch.
"Don't worry, I'm not here to play a prank or anything," Dirk assured him with a grin.
Hansel frowned. "Okay? Sounds like a guilty conscience."
"Oh, come on, you know I like you… I would never involve you in something childish like that." Coming from Dirks' mouth, the words themselves sounded childish. "This is serious, I'm here for business," he continued sternly.
"Business?"
"That's right. I'm here to bargain with you… a bet, if you will."
"Dirk, this is so random. Why would I want to make a bet with you at six-thirty in the morning?"
Dirk cleared his throat, standing proudly as he continued. "I need your help with something. And I know it would be rude to ask if you didn't benefit from the favor, too. So I'm making a bet. If you help me get what I need, I'll do something for you."
He noticed Hansel begin to crack a smile, undoubtedly amused by his demands. "So… what exactly is it that you need?"
"Nothing too extreme, just a few season's worth of milk."
Hansel blinked as he processed Dirk's words. "…I beg your pardon?"
"Milk!" Dirk repeated. "I need lots of milk. I really, really want to get taller, and I knew that you could help me get lots of milk, seeing as you have lots of cows and all... and we're friends."
Hansel was clearly not following.
"I can get you money, or bugs—or even help you around the farm when I'm not at the café. Whaddaya say?"
Hansel sighed as he looked away. "Um, Dirk, I really don't think that milk would help you. I mean… it's not like milk is going to magically help you grow into some giant. I'm a farmer, not a miracle-worker."
"But… what if it could!" Dirk defended, pouting a little as he followed Hansel around the farm. "I'll never know unless I try, right? And I promise I would pay you back…"
"Dirk, milk is one of my major profits for the bazaar… it's not cheap, you know. Everyone depends on it. And besides, I couldn't take your money like that. You work hard for what you make at the café. I'd... feel bad."
"So if not money then, what do you want?" Dirk purred, a glimmer of hope—or maybe mischief—present in his eyes.
"I think you're missing the point—"
"I know something that might interest you," Dirk interjected as a convincing thought came to mind. "I know a certain someone who you're really fond of, and chasing after blindly, day after day, after day…"
Hansel bit his lip nervously. "Wh-what are you talking about?"
"There's a certain girl at the café whom I happen to know really well, and I know things about her you would never know. If you helped me, maybe I could help you go out with her... say, the up-coming Starry Night Festival, for example..."
Hansel began to blush as he fidgeted in his stance. "…You really think you could help me?"
Dirk chuckled. "Well, that was easy."
He watched as the farmer's embarrassment gave way to annoyance. "Hey, I'm just kidding… really though, I could seriously help you. Do we have a deal?"
Hansel turned away as he contemplated the bargain. He was getting nowhere with her, and besides, how hard was it to deliver milk to Dirk? That seemed easy enough…
So against his better judgment, he heard himself utter:
"I'll do it."
In the following weeks, things were working out nicely. Milk had become Dirk's new drink of choice pretty much constantly throughout the day, and he was already feeling better about himself. He hadn't noticed any noticeable growth in his height, but he had definitely noticed his confidence was soaring. He felt stronger as he lifted crates of ingredients for Marian and Joan at the café, and he felt like the kids of Zephyr Town looked up to him more than ever. He remained the undefeated champion of every snowball fight with Kevin, and he was the only one who could make the tallest snowmen while still being able to reach up and stick the carrot on.
He wondered if this was what it felt like to be an adult. He considered asking Ivan, but that would involve having to look up at him since they didn't quite see eye-to-eye… yet.
He heard a feminine giggle as he looked up from his glass of milk. Marian watched him fondly as he daydreamed, blonde eyelashes fluttering about like delicate snowflakes. Her smile could melt even the winter itself; she had more admirers than her grandmother had recipes for pie. In fact, Dirk had confirmed that not too long ago. Even still, everything about her was perfection.
"What's so funny, huh?" he asked, bemusedly.
"You have a little mustache going on there," she answered with a teasing smile. "It kind of suits you. You should consider growing one someday."
Dirk laughed as he eyed his reflection in the glass. A white milk mustache was plastered faintly across his upper lip, just as Marian had promised. "Yeah, right. It's pretty good, though… you should try this milk."
She shook her head in amusement as she took the glass he offered, a matching milk mustache of her own forming as she broke away from the sip. "Mmm. This milk is definitely of excellent quality."
"It's from Hansel's farm, of course it is," Dirk replied matter-of-factly. "Hansel is amazing like that."
Marian nodded at his praise for the farmer. "I agree. He's already done so much for this town. Speaking of which, we should be getting a milk order from him soon. If you happen to see him, tell him we'll be needing some here at the café soon."
Dirk shrugged. "Okay. I guess I need to get home soon since my work here is done."
"Of course. Tell your brother to come by to visit sometime, okay?"
As Dirk headed home, he hoped his brother had dinner ready—he was starving. All the milk he was drinking was great, but it made him so full sometimes that he didn't have much room for food during the day anymore.
Dirk sniffed the air as he entered his kitchen. He had hoped to come home to some cream croquettes, but unfortunately, he didn't smell any. "What's for dinner?" he asked his brother, although he knew the answer would only disappoint him since it didn't involve his favorite dish.
"Um, I'm making some croquettes. I hope that's okay with you, we seem to be out of milk so I couldn't make them the way you like them."
"Oh, s-sure," Dirk called out as he walked to his room, careful not to let the milk jugs in his satchel clink as he walked by. He decided that maybe he should start saving some milk for Ivan in the house every now and then…
Hansel was rather surprised one morning to see Ivan as he opened his door. He looked displeased as he greeted the farmer. His breath warmed the cold air as he exhaled a nervous sigh, lips cold and chapped from the wind.
"Ivan? What can I do for you?"
"Good morning, Hansel," he said. "I'm sorry to barge in on you like this, and I know we both have busy schedules, but I came to ask you something."
Hansel only stared, hoping inwardly that Ivan wasn't wanting any favors like Dirk...
"I couldn't help but notice that you didn't have any milk to sell at the bazaar the other day. I also couldn't help but notice that, throughout the town, the milk is surprisingly scarce. Even at the cafe, their supply has depleted almost to the point of complete deficiency."
Hansel tried to focus on anything but Ivan. Ivan's shoes, the ground as it continued to accumulate more snow... "Well... yeah, you're not the only person to notice, I'm afraid," he tried to say cheerfully, as if trying to make a joke out of it. "You and all of my regular customers at the bazaar seem to really be interested in my... lack of dairy."
"And Joan."
"A-Ah, yes, and Joan..."
"This has something to do with Dirk, doesn't it?"
Hansel was afraid he would ask that. He knew Ivan was the furthest thing from oblivious that existed in this town, and being around Dirk on a regular basis, he had to know what Dirk was up to.
Ivan noticed the farmer's uneasiness, because he started to look empathetic. "I assure you that the only reason I'm asking this is because I'm worried about the bazaar, and I'm worried about your profits... and of course, I'm worried about Dirk." His words were gentle enough, sincere enough to trust.
"Well, I... I made a bet with Dirk..."
Ivan shook his head, covering his eyes woefully with his palm. "That, I'm afraid, was your first mistake..."
"He was really passionate about getting all this milk, said it would help him 'get taller' or something," Hansel continued honestly. "He's been so much happier ever since I've been giving him all this milk... I guess I just didn't realize how important my milk products are to the town, and... and to the bazaar."
The two stood there awkwardly as they thought, both seemingly unsure of what to do. Ivan was the first to speak up, his face a mixture of emotions. "How could I not have noticed? I honestly didn't realize he was so preoccupied with his height lately." He paused. "This is my fault."
Hansel fervently shook his head. "It's not your fault. How could it be?"
"Dirk came to you instead of me... perhaps he felt more comfortable talking to you rather than me," Ivan admitted, more sad than bitter. "I... I suppose I do treat him more like a child than a brother."
"Or maybe he just came to me because I'm a pretty short guy like he is, and you're not," Hansel said lightly with a shrug. He chuckled.
Ivan also laughed quietly, considering the idea. "Well, regardless, I need to speak with him immediately. I just wanted to get the truth from you first before I jumped to conclusions."
As he started to turn, Hansel stopped him. "Um, Ivan? Please don't scold him because of me. Dirk is my friend, and I don't want him to think I ratted him out... or anything like that." He cast his face downward. "Although I am glad to be able to start selling my milk again..."
Ivan smiled, nodding. "Of course. I won't say anything. But I assure you that you will be getting your profits back, and there will be no more milk runs for Dirk."
After their goodbyes, Hansel watched until Ivan disappeared out of sight behind a curtain of snow flurries. He looked one last time at the empty, barren wasteland that was his fields before returning inside.
Dirk groaned as he finished another sip of milk, slowly lying back down on his bed. He didn't feel taller. He felt sick.
His belly ached, his head was hurting, and just the thought of drinking one more drop of milk made him want to throw up.
He felt miserable physically, and mentally, as well; why hadn't the milk made him grow yet? He was hoping for at least some kind of result by now... preferably a positive one that didn't involve a stomachache.
Maybe Hansel was right. Milk wasn't some kind of magic elixir... it was just milk. Dirk felt even worse as he imagined how much of Hansel's milk he had wasted, and for what purpose? This? This was just like him, something Ivan would consider "childish" and "thoughtless." He could already imagine the lecture Ivan would give him if he found out about this whole debacle...
He needed to talk to Hansel. He had to tell him he was done with milk once and for all. He would just have to live his entire life looking like a child, and—
"Dirk?" came a voice and a gentle knock at his bedroom door.
Dirk groaned once again. Ivan. He definitely wasn't in the mood for this. "I don't feel good, Ivan, can it wait?" he called back.
"I just need to talk to you for a minute."
Before Dirk could protest any further, Ivan entered. He didn't look angry, so Dirk decided that maybe he wasn't going to scold him for anything.
"Are you sick?" Ivan asked, concerned laced in his voice as he walked closer to his brother.
"...sort of," Dirk admitted as he clutched his stomach. "Just a bellyache."
"Does it have anything to do with an entire town's supply of milk?" Ivan casually asked, sitting on the edge of the bed.
Dirk paled, bringing a hand to his face in complete dread. "Ivan... look... I..."
"I'm not angry, Dirk," the older brother calmly stated. "Like I said, I just wanted to talk to you." When Dirk said nothing, he continued. "I just wish you would've talked to me about this sooner."
Ivan thought he heard Dirk sniff as he turned to face the wall. "You wouldn't understand!" Dirk whined abruptly, his legs curled up against his chest.
"Wouldn't I?" Ivan asked, almost hurt by his brother's words and apparent suffering.
"No, you... you would've just told me that milk wouldn't make me taller!"
"...And wouldn't I have been right?"
Dirk sighed loudly, still turned away from Ivan. "Well, yeah... you're always right. About everything."
Ivan stared at the floor solemnly as he spoke, his face as phlegmatic as ever. "I didn't realize your height bothered you so much. When did this start bothering you?"
Dirk sat up, the bed creaking as he shifted. He felt tears well up in his eyes, and he fought hard to keep them back. "Since... forever! I just... I wish I could be as tall as you and the other guys in town! I wish I could amount to something in general, like you... all I can do is just stand in your shadow, because I'm too short to be noticed! Forget being short, I'm basically invisible."
Ivan only frowned as he listened to Dirk's words. He tried not to take them personally, as he felt they were more out of frustration than true resentment.
"All my life, you're the one who's done everything for me. You're so smart and everyone loves you, and... I've always looked up to you. Literally, too, I guess. I just wish I was... I wish I was more like you. And I guess it just sucks because I know that... I never will be."
This time, it was Ivan who turned away. "While your words mean a lot to me, Dirk, I have to wonder... do you not remember that I wasn't always this tall, either?"
"What?" Dirk asked quietly.
"Maybe you just never noticed because I suppose I was always bigger than you, but I wasn't too tall myself at your age."
"You're just saying that to make me feel better."
"Not at all, I distinctly remember wishing to be taller. It wasn't until a few years ago that I grew quite a bit more than I ever expected." Ivan shot a warm glance at his little brother. "Perhaps there's a chance it runs in the family, and you still have a shot at maybe growing a little? I know you don't remember, but our parents were both tall, as well. I'm almost certain you will, Dirk."
Dirk thought hard, trying to remember his brother ever being short. He couldn't quite remember, but as Ivan said, maybe he was just always tall in his eyes because of their age difference. Besides, they had many other physical traits in common; the color of their hair, their winsome faces. There was no mistaking their relation. After thinking it over, he smiled. "You're really serious?" he sniffed.
"Why would I lie to you, Dirk? Just ask anyone in the town that's known us. They'll tell you. I can't believe you don't remember my growth spurt."
They both began to chuckle, realizing the silliness of the situation. It had been a while since they had shared a good laugh, and in no time, Dirk was back to his normal cheery self. Suddenly, the last thing on his mind was his height. The idea of being short didn't quite bother him as much as it did before.
"About this milk incident though..." Ivan began, "I do hope you plan on paying Hansel back for all this milk you've been hoarding."
Dirk rolled his eyes, grimacing each time he heard the word 'milk'. "Yeah, yeah, I know. I feel bad about it now. Can we please just drop it? And I'll make things right with Joan, too. I feel bad the café's lost money because of me."
Ivan nodded. "I suppose we can find a way to repay everyone."
"Don't worry about it," Dirk replied, dismissing the idea with a wave of his hand. "Speaking of which... that reminds me, I need to find Marian and ask her what she's doing for the Starry Night Festival this week..."
Dirk wiggled his eyebrows suggestively before he jumped up and was headed out the door before his brother could react. Dirk might've been short, but his legs were fast, and apparently his stomachache long forgotten. Ivan worriedly chased after him.
"What...? Marian? I don't see what this has to do with her. Are you already up to something else...? Dirk? I'm not quite sure I approve of you dating older women, you know! Wait up!"
(A/N: Oh, Dirk... somehow we just know you'll be taller one day. *cough*ToTT*cough*)