For the Most in a Month Competition and the Magical World Tour Challenge (growing up).
Colin panics when he wakes and Dennis isn't at the camp. His heart hammers. Dennis is all that he has left. His kid brother, his responsibility, and now he's lost him.
"Didn't think you would already be awake," Dennis calls, approaching the camp with a bulging bag hung over his shoulder. "I popped into town and got us breakfast."
"Popped…"
His younger brother empties out the contents of the bag. Bread, bits of ham, fresh fruit. Colin licks his lips. He can't remember the last time they've had food that they didn't have to kill first.
"How did you-?"
"With a sweet smile and a quick story," Dennis answers, grinning. "Surprised the little old lady didn't try and adopt me."
Colin swallows, shaking his head. Before he can do anything, Dennis sets about, warming the bread and meat over the fire.
It's hard for him to wrap his head around this. He's always taken care of Dennis. It feels like just yesterday he was having to tie his little brother's laces and hold his hand during thunderstorms. And now, the tables have turned. Dennis is taking care of him.
Colin studies his brother. He doesn't know when things changed, but he realizes that Dennis isn't just a kid anymore. He's not an adult yet, not by a long shot, but he's grown up. Colin wonders if things would be different without the war, without running and fighting for their lives. Would Dennis still be a normal kid if the Ministry hadn't fallen? Would Colin find him laughing at silly jokes and doing childish things?
"What?" Dennis asks, frowning. "I thought you liked ham."
Colin smiles to himself, shaking his head. "Just thinking, Den."
It isn't right. Dennis shouldn't have grown so fast. Neither of them should have. It isn't fair. They're still just kids. They should be at school, worrying about passing their classes, not out here, worrying if they'll make it another day.
But war doesn't care about age, he realizes. War hits the young and the adult alike.
Dennis pulls out a plate, placing the warmed food on it and setting it between them.
"Careful. Keep this up, and you won't need me anymore," Colin teases, biting into the bread with a content groan.
"Rubbish. I'll always need you."
Colin doesn't know how true that is. Dennis is growing up too fast in the war. But he still smiles. At least for now, he has his little brother. At least for now something in the world makes sense.