Growing up is Hard

by Dysfunctional Serenity

Dave is convinced that he's in love with his brother while Dirk is trying to convince him, and himself, that it's just a phase and will pass. Follow the Strider boys through their lives, struggling with the highs and lows, and trying to understand their feelings for each other.

1. Prologue

First off, this is the prologue and how it works is that there is a scene for each year of the Strider boys' lives until we catch up with them. So when it says "Dirk: *number* Dave: *number*" it's talking about their age, Dirk is exactly two years older than Dave. My chapters are not this long, I just didn't want to separate it so I'm posting it all together. My chapters usually vary anywhere from 3,000 to 6,000 words depending on what's going on in the chapter and where I feel like ending.

Warnings: Yaoi, incest, swearing, later smut (though it'll be posted to deviantart since no longer allows for that), and... yeah. Things of the sort.

Apart from that... I don't really know. My ability to do intros has depleted so yeah, I'm looking forward to this fic and I hope you enjoy it and look forward to what's to come as well.

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Dirk: 2
Dave: 0

The excited two year old child ran passed his father and rushed into the room beyond him. Regardless that he was small, he managed to run jump onto the bed and successfully landed on the thin mattress though his arms failed to catch him when he tried to move before he had finished his landing. His face hit the bed but he quickly picked himself up and fixed the large sunglasses over his eyes. Today was his second birthday but that's not the reason he was so excited. He crawled over to his mother to peer into her arms to see the new born baby she held. His new baby brother, the one he had seemed to be waiting for his entire life.

"Wath hith name? Wath hith name? Can I hod him?" the small boy's voice shouted, filled to the brim with such excitement. All of this was such odd behavior for the boy, usually he was quiet and collected at all times but he just couldn't help it- he had a brother! Who wouldn't be excited? And though he hadn't been born until today, the toddler felt as though they already shared a very strong bond.

"His name is Dave." the boy's mother informed him and his smile grew. Today was Dirk Strider's birthday; it was also the day of Dave Strider's birth. That meant that they shared a birthday!

"Dave… Dave Thtriter. I like it!" he exclaimed as he once again fixed the glasses over his eyes. When his mother finally let him take the baby, he just took the dumb glasses off so he could look over his baby brother better. Light blonde hair was visible on his head though there wasn't that much, his skin was pale due to never having seen the sun before, and his eyes were remained shut as he had not yet opened them. "Hey there baby brother." the toddler whispered to the tiny infant in his arms though he wasn't much bigger. "I'm your big brother. I'm Dirk." he spoke softly before lightly placing an inexperienced kiss on his cheek. "Open your eyeth." Dirk requested and Dave responded with a small noise that made the older laugh, the sound vibrating gently in his chest. "Come on, Dave. You can do it, come on. Open your eyeth for your big bro." he encouraged and with that, the infant's eyes opened halfway before slipping closed again. "That'th it, come on. Try again. You can do it lil bro." finally his eyes fluttered open completely so red could meet the orange placed before them. "There you go. Good job, Dave." he smiled and soothingly ran his fingers over the other's skin. While their parents gasped a bit at the discovery of their second child having oddly colored eyes just as their first did, Dirk couldn't be happier with the discovery. "You're jut like me lil brother." he giggled and kissed the baby's head again.

"Give him a real kiss Dirk." their mother giggled and said boy obeyed by kissing the newborn's lips. Their mother laughed and awed while Dirk just giggled and kissed him again.

Today was, without a doubt, the best day of Dirk Strider's life.

* ... ... ... *

Dirk: 3
Dave: 1

Orange eyes shot open when he heard a baby's cries. Dave woke up. He groaned and brought his hand up to rub his face. He turned to his clock to find that it was three in the morning. Knowing their parents weren't going to do anything about it; Dirk rolled out of bed and dragged his feet as he made his way out of his room and into his baby brother's.

"Dave." he called to the infant as he lowered the side of his crib to climb into it as well before closing off the way he had gotten in. "Dave, it'th okay. Big brother'th here now." he whispered softly as he lay next to the younger. He gently pulled the other closer to him and held him to his chest securely. Dave began to calm down. "Thooth… go back to thleep." the other calmed and went silent. After a few minutes, Dirk was starting to fall asleep again having been only half wake when he came in.

"Bwo." Dave's small voice called lightly.

"Yeah Dave, that'th right. Bro'th here." Dirk nodded before readjusting to get in a more comfortable position. After a few moments, his eyes opened wide and he quickly sat up. "Wait, what?" he exclaimed in disbelief. "Dave, what did you jutht thay?"

"Bwo." he repeated and the older began laughing.

"That'th right Dave. Bro. I'm Bro. I'm your Bro." he kissed the infant's head a few times before placing a soft kiss on his lips. "I love you Dave. Bro loveth you." he whispered as he lay back down and got comfortable with Dave cuddled up next to him. Bro. That was Dave's first word. He thought that he would say mama or dada first but he said bro not only once but twice. Dirk couldn't be happier with that.

* ... ... ... *

Dirk: 4
Dave: 2

The oldest Strider boy yawned as he flipped through the channels on the TV, trying to find something to either lull him to sleep or keep him awake. He sat at the end of the couch with his head on his arm over the armrest and Dave's head lay across his thighs with his face turned toward the TV though he had long since fallen asleep. They had gotten their parents to agree to let them stay up late because they did a good job of cleaning their rooms though they had helped each other. They were sure that neither of the children would be able to stay awake very long since they had a busy day so they saw no harm in it.

In their excitement, the brothers decided to have a competition to see who could stay awake the longest. Of course the two year old wasn't able to last very long and fell asleep while they were watching whatever was on the television at the time. Though there was a lot on earlier, nothing worth watching was airing now. Dirk considered turning the TV off and just going to bed since he was actually rather tired and he had already won the competition with his little brother.

Changing the channel one last time, Dirk was about to turn the screen off and wake Dave up to get him to bed when a voice caught his attention.

"Hey, I could clear this sky in ten seconds flat." he stopped and watched. A blue colored pegasus called in a confident tone to… a purple unicorn?

"Prove it." the unicorn replied with a challenging smile. The blue pegasus with the rainbow mane bolted through the sky, kicking clouds and doing loops while the other pony and… a purple dragon stared wide-eyed in amazement.

"What'd I say? Ten seconds flat." the blue one bragged as she sat down on the railing of a bridge. "I'd never leave Ponyville hangin'." the unicorn and the dragon just stared at her with stupid bewildered looks on their faces. The boy laughed at them, accidently shaking Dave which caused the younger boy to stir in his sleep.

"Bwo?" he questioned tiredly as he rolled onto his back so he could look up at his older brother with tired red eyes.

"Yeah?"

"Haha. You should see the look on your face." Dave's head turned back to toward the TV.

"What awe you watchin'?"

"Um…" Dirk's eyes turned back to the screen as well. "I'm not sure." they sat still for a minute and watched until Dave got bored and turned his head to look back at Dirk.

"Can we go to bed?" the older sighed, not wanting to leave the show but he nodded and pushed the power button on the remote to turn it off. Dave sat up before they both got off of the couch and walked to his bedroom. Dirk tucked him into bed, gave him a kiss, and told him goodnight before starting for the door. "Wait!" he called to stop him from leaving. "We not gonna sleep togetha?" he whined and Dirk returned to his side to give him another kiss.

"Not tonight Dave, I need to sleep in my own bed sometimes or it'll get lonely."

"But yo do when I'm in the too!" the younger objected and Dirk sighed.

"You can come sleep with me tomorrow night if you stay in here tonight, okay? You're about to pass out anyway." Dave knew he was right, he could already feel himself falling asleep.

"Okay Bwo." he mumbled and the other smiled at him before kissing him once more though instead of leaving, he sat at his side and sang to him until he was sure he was asleep. He kissed his brother's head before standing and exiting his bedroom. As he walked to his own room, Dirk thought about that amazing blue pegasus's skills and turned to look into the living room at the TV. He looked back at Dave's door before creeping into the living room as if he were doing something he shouldn't be and climbed back onto the couch to turn the television on.

"Oh I've never seen a baby dragon before!" a new pony with a dull yellow coat and a pink mane awed at the small purple dragon. "He's sooo cute!" Dirk smiled and got comfortable as he continued to watch.

* ... ... ... *

Dirk: 5
Dave: 3

Proud of his finally finished product, Dave stood from the floor of his bedroom where he had been working to run out of his room and into Dirk's. He opened the door quietly and closed it just as silently.

"Bwo!" he called as he ran over to the bed and jumped onto the sleeping figure that lay in it.

"Wha- Dave!" Dirk shouted as he was aggressively woken up. "Dave get off me, that hurts!" he called, trying to keep his voice down. Dave didn't get off like he was told to but he did get into a more comfortable position.

"Bwo, look." he said, holding up a piece of paper. Dirk reached over to his bedside table to turn on his lamp.

"Dave it's nearly midnight, why are you still up?" his older brother asked as he rubbed his tired eyes.

"I was woking on this fo you." he answered, waving the paper around a little more. Dirk finally grabbed it and looked over it. There were two oddly shaped blotches, one was orange and the other was red. After a long while of looking at it, Dirk finally looked up at an excited Dave.

"Is this supposed to be us?"

"Yes!" he shouted as he threw his arms around the other. "You got it! Does it look weally good?"

"Yes Dave, it looks really good." he laughed and returned his little brother's tight embrace. "You're a very talented artist. I'll keep it forever." he promised.

"Weally?" the younger asked as he pulled back from the hug to stare into orange eyes with his hopeful red ones. Dirk nodded and Dave smiled widely as he hugged his brother again.

"But you need to get to bed." Dirk ordered as he lifted up his blankets. Eagerly, Dave climbed under them and cuddled up to his brother. This was nothing new. It was actually uncommon for the two to sleep in their own beds. One would always sneak into the other's room for whatever reason. They were just more comfortable around the other. Dirk turned off his lamp and laid back down with his head on his pillow and when Dave laid his head on his chest, he wrapped an arm under him just to bring it up to rest on his shoulder while the other rested around his waist. They fit together nicely.

"I love you Dik." the younger whispered, his voice already sounding tired. Dirk sighed in annoyance that he still couldn't say his name correctly but that's not what upset him. What upset him was that it sounded like he was calling him Dick. He shrugged it off and smiled as he tilted his head to peck the other's lips.

"I love you too Dave."

* ... ... ... *

Dirk: 6
Dave: 4

"Come on Lil Bro, lunch is ready!" Dirk called down the hall where the two's bedrooms were. The youngest Strider came running out of his room but instead of sitting at the table like he was supposed to, he ran to his big brother and wrapped his arms tightly around his waist, causing the older boy to nearly drop the two plates in his hands. "Hey, calm down before you make me drop our food." he lectured but Dave didn't let him go, he just looked up at him with a big smile.

"I love you Bro!" the child beamed and Dirk couldn't hold in a laugh from how cute he was.

"I love you too Lil Man." he replied before leaning down to place a gentle kiss on the other's lips.

"Didn't Mom say we were too old to do that?" Dave questioned as he finally released his brother so they could make their way to the table.

"Do you care?" the older asked as he set their food down and helped Dave into his boaster seat where his apple juice waited for him.

"Nope." he answered and Dirk nodded, slipping up into the chair next to Dave. "Uh… what is this?" came the question Dirk had feared. He had tried to make pizza for him and his little brother but he had turned the oven on too high and left the pizza in a bit too long so it might be a little burnt.

"It's pizza." the older grumbled, feeling embarrassed by the other's reaction to it.

"Oh." they sat in silence, neither of them really willing to touch the food before them. Just as Dirk was about to take both plates back and toss them in the garbage, Dave lifted a piece to his mouth and quickly took a bite! The older boy stared at him in shock and anticipation. "It's good!" the other beamed and Dirk sighed in relief.

"Well I'm glad you like it." looking down at his own food, he took a deep breath before grabbing a piece and lifting it to his face. Sparing a glance at Dave who was watching him eagerly, he closed his eyes and took a bite. It was crunchier than usual and it had just a bit of a burnt taste to it but other than that, it still tasted like really good pizza! "It is good." he confirmed and Dave nodded, reaching over to pat his brother's hand.

"Thanks for the food Dirk!" he called which caused said boy's orange eyes to grow wide. That was the first time Dave had said his name correctly. He smiled warmly at his brother as he ate his food enthusiastically.

"You're welcome." he replied and he continued to eat as well. Today was going to be a great day.

* ... ... ... *

Dirk: 7
Dave: 5

The younger Strider ran to Dirk's room, opening the door to rush in.

"Bro!" he exclaimed excitedly, seeing said person at his desk reading one of his books on electronics.

"Dude, how many times have I told you to knock?" he asked with a serious tone and an accusing glance. Dave rubbed the back of his head sheepishly.

"Uh... none?" he laughed with an innocent smile. The older sighed and rolled his eyes as he lowered his book. He couldn't stay mad at Dave.

"What do you need Lil Bro?"

"I wanna play." he called happily. Dirk sighed and looked at his brother before looking back down at his book. He didn't want to leave it; he was just getting to the instructional part that tells how to rewire a computer. He was just really getting into it. He sighed again and placed a bookmark in his page before closing the book and setting it down on his desk.

"Okay, Dave," he smiled. "Let's play." the younger's smile grew wider and he quickly took his brother's hand before leading him up to the attic. "So what are we playing?" Dirk chuckled when they reached their secret play place. Dave just laughed and took up a heroic pose.

"I'm gonna be a knight and you're gonna be my princess so I can save you." the older Strider's eyes widened at this and he gave the other a look of mild disgust.

"You want me… to be a princess?" he asked, seriously hoping that he was just joking because he really didn't want to tell him he didn't like that idea but Dave nodded excitedly.

"In all the stories, the knight saves the princess." yeah, he was serious. Dirk sighed and shook his head, trying to think of a simple way to explain his dislike of this idea.

"First of all, I'm a boy so I can't be a princess. Princesses are girls. Second, I'm older and tougher so shouldn't I be the one saving you?" he questioned, trying to let the other down gently. Dave however, was having none of his brother's defiance. He stuck out his lower lip a little as it lightly began to quiver and he looked up at Dirk with puppy eyes, making them water ever so slightly. The older bit his lip when Dave gave him that irresistible look he has and those eyes- those sad puppy eyes! He… damn it, he didn't stand a chance. "Fine." he groaned. "How about I'm the prince of a great kingdom but I practically rule the kingdom because the king is a no good loser." he brought his hand up to his chin in thought. "There's some great evil and I can't handle it alone so I request the help of a brave knight, that's you." he quickly added. "But you don't save me, we take down the enemy together." he finished as he stuck out his fist for a pound and flashed a smirk. "That sound good to you, Lil Man?" the smaller boy dropped the puppy look to replace it with a wide smile as he bumped Dirk's fist with his own as he nodded. That was more than perfect to him. He was really looking forward to saving his big brother but fighting next to him as an equal force sounded even better. "Alright then, let's get everything set up." he called before beginning to move some boxes around to make his throne room and the younger Strider was more than eager to help him.

They talked about what they were going to do as they set everything up. They discussed the layout of the palace so they would both know what was what, they told each other about their characters, and they tried to plan some situations they could play through but nothing stuck so they decided to just go with whatever felt right in the moment.

Once practically the entire attic had been rearranged, they looked for props. They used small blankets as capes, Dave found an old curtain rod to use as a sword, and Dirk was lucky enough to find a toy crown to use as said object.

The crowned prince sat upon his makeshift throne and sighed in content. Yes, this was a fine throne. A fine throne for a fine ruler. He turned to the knight as he stepped up and knelt before the prince with his hand over his chest in respect.

"Are you sure this source is reliable?" he asked as he leaned back, propping his elbow up on his armrest so he could place his head in his hand.

"Yes, Your Highness." Dave giggled a little but fell silent when his brother shot him a warning glance. He took this seriously and if the younger wasn't going to then this wasn't going to work out. Dave stood once more, keeping a firm grip on his 'sword' as he continued in character. "All the information we've received from this village has always been correct. They proved to be trustworthy." Dirk nodded, taking in the information regardless that he already knew it. Due to his father being a complete fool, he took over practically everything and required no assistance.

After a few moments of thinking, Dirk sighed and stood up. He couldn't shake this bad feeling he had but he just couldn't call this attack off after months of hard training and planning based on nothing but a whim. The plan was already set in place and ready to be put in motion, it was just waiting on the order from the mastermind behind it to begin rolling.

"Well Captain, are you confident your men are prepared for this battle?" he had stepped a bit closer to the other as he crossed his arms.

"They are ready, my prince." he responded with a stoic tone, unmoving. They stood in silence as the older analyzed the smaller male before him as if looking for any sign that he was unsure in any way. There wasn't a single person the prince trusted more than the knight he had personally appointed as captain and he was more than positive that he had trained his men very well but this bad feeling he had just wouldn't go away… he needed something, any reason to make his knight stay. But he kept his face even and remained unmoving in his stance and if anything, he seemed to hold himself higher. He was confident. With another sigh, the play prince turned and walked back over to his pretend thrown, resting his arm on the back of it as he turned his head to the window.

"Then send them off." Dirk waved a hand as if he were already bored with the conversation though he was really uneasy.

"Yes, Your Highness." the knight bowed and Dirk was glad to see that he was able to do that without laughing this time. "We will return in victory." the prince's eye widened and he spun around to see the other as he turned to walk toward the large double doors that lead out of the throne room.

"Wait!" he yelled as his feet carried him a short distance toward Dave, his hand outstretched as if to grab him to prevent him from leaving. He didn't quite know what he was doing, this behavior was unfit for a prince but something just came over him and he couldn't help it. The knight turned to look at him, a questioning look on his face. "Uh… I…" no, no, no! Why was he freezing up like this now? He needed to be confident and strong even with his flaws and errors. He was expected to be better than this. He lifted his head, lowered his arm, and stood straight. "I order you to remain here." he commanded with a firm look in his orange eyes. "If you're so confident that your men are ready then I'm sure they can handle this little task without you." was that… a smile? Did the knight just smile at him? His smile was a rare pleasure. He placed his hand over his chest once more and leaned forward in a bow.

"As you wish, my prince." was all he said before he stood and exited the room. Sinking down into his cushioned throne, the prince slouched greatly as he took deep breaths to try and calm himself and his racing heart. Honestly that had scared him. From his bedroom window, he would stare down at the area in which the knight would train the others and he would always watch and admire him. There wasn't any doubt in his mind that he felt a special connection with the other male. Regardless that it was highly unusual for a prince and a knight to even have much contact whether direct or indirect, he's always considered the captain to be his closest friend and maybe even the most important person in his life.

It wasn't long before the knight returned so the prince quickly collected himself, sitting straight in his throne and calming his breathing.

"They are mobile, sir." Dave stated with a short nod which the older returned.

"Very good. We shall wait here for word to come." the younger nodded before they fell to silence, both searching for anything to say. Finally the prince cleared his throat to draw in the other's attention. "Do the men treat you well?"

"Yes, sir."

"How long have we known each other?" the prince asked almost strictly which made the younger a little nervous, wondering if he had done something wrong.

"Uh, a long time I suppose… sir." he stated, hoping that was the right answer.

"Yes, so you don't have to refer to me so formally. I consider us to be friends so you may call by my first name if I may do the same with you." he held his breath as he waited for the knight's answer, his heart fluttering again when he smiled.

"You may… Dirk." he couldn't help but to return that sweet smile of his… oh how he wished he could claim the brave knight as his own in more than just his head. The knight opened his mouth to speak when the large double doors were flung open to allow a messenger through.

"Pardon my intrusion my prince but I bring grave news!" the messenger exclaimed in a panic, rushing through a customary bow. The prince and the knight exchanged worried glances before they turned back to the messenger.

"What news do you have?" Dirk demanded, standing straighter than the casual stance he had taken when alone with Dave.

"It was a set up- the army was ambushed in the village! There were no survivors!" the two males gasped with wide eyes, staring at each other in fear. "The enemy is on their way here as we speak! They'll be at the gate in no time!"

"Prince we must get you out of here!" Dave shouted as he waved the messenger away so the small man scurried off.

"No Dave, I can't leave! I'm staying here to fight." he objected before waving his hand toward the window. "Those are my people that are at risk, I can't just abandon them when they need a leader!"

"Your father can-"

"My father?" Dirk shouted in anger. "My father is a no good deadbeat that couldn't lead a dog if it was on a leash!" he sighed, running a hand through his blonde hair as he began to pace. "No, I stay here."

"Then I will stay by your side," the knight started, kneeling with his arm across his chest. "Dirk." he finished and even in this dire situation, he still managed to make his prince smile.

"Thank you Dave. Now, we need a plan of-" he was cut off by the sound of an explosion that had them both rushing over to the window to see smoke rising from the gate- it had been blown down! "Not good…" he mumbled before calling down to the castle guards. "Get everyone away from the gates and evacuate the city!" he turned to grab a sword off of the rack in the corner.

"If we're evacuating, shouldn't we be going too?" Dave asked, keeping his hand on the handle of his sword.

"No, we're staying to help with the evacuation and then we're going to fight." Dirk sheathed the sword in his hand and grabbed a second. He wasn't sure what to expect of this bunch but he knew better than to underestimate them so he wanted to be prepared.

"Highness, in case anything happens I want to tell you-" Dave was interrupted when again the double doors flung open but instead of a messenger, the throne room was suddenly flooded with enemy soldiers!

… … …

Dave struggled harshly against his restraints, shouting curses at their captors though they had left the two prisoners alone some time ago.

"Don't bother Dave, you're not getting out like that." the prince muttered tiredly. It had been a long and exhausting fight with more enemies piling through the door by the second. Finally the opposing forces overwhelmed them and took the two heroes prisoner.

"Then let's figure something else out." the knight suggested, a little out of breath.

"Why? We have nothing to go back to." Dave stared at the other with concerned eyes, pain stabbing his heart at the defeated tone his prince's voice had taken. While they were being taken across town to the enemy fortress, Dirk watched in horror as his people were enslaved or killed. The evacuation had failed and now everyone was suffering at the hands of these monsters.

"I know you're mourning the loss of the kingdom and your people but that doesn't mean you can just give up." Dave stated, trying to motivate the fallen prince.

"But all those people were depending on me to-"

"I don't care about that!" Dirk's eyes widened at the loyal knight's outburst. "My only concern right now is you, do you understand? I swear I will get you out of here!"

"W-why? Why me?" Dirk asked, still stunned. The other averted his gaze, a light dusting of red on his face.

"It's always been you Dirk." he confessed softly. "Honestly, I only became a knight to get closer to you."

"Dave…" said captain raised his head in determination.

"That's why it's my duty to get you out of here, not only as my prince but as the person that I love." even though he lost everything and was currently a prisoner, Dirk felt happier now than he ever had before in his life because he had Dave and he returned his feelings.

"I love you too." he smiled at the other who blushed with widened eyes at the unexpected words. He had never imagined that the prince- his prince could ever love him but he was thrilled to find out that it was possible and true. They both began to slowly lean towards each other until their lips met, carrying all the love and passion two people could hold.

The sudden sound of the front door slamming shut as one of their parents returned home knocked them both out of their world and pulled them apart. They looked around their attic as if they didn't know where they were. Right… that was a game. The two stood up from where they sat against a far wall and awkwardly glanced at each other. Something was different… but how? Was it that kiss? They've kissed hundreds times before, what made this one different?

"Well… thanks Dave, I guess the knight did manage to save the prince." Dirk said, putting on a smile for his little brother as he pat him on the shoulder. Dave beamed with joy at that. He got to fight next to his big brother as an equal and then he got to save him too even though they decided not to do that. That made him really happy. "Come on let's go back downstairs to my room. I want to get back to my book so you can draw or something." Dave nodded and started to walk to the door.

"Okay, I'll draw us in a sweet castle." he commented casually. The older Strider followed behind his little brother, still thinking about that kiss. Suddenly he grabbed Dave's arm and spun him around to press their lips together. It felt just like a normal kiss, maybe it was just the one in the game? As they pulled away, he laughed at Dave's confused expression and lightly punched his shoulder.

"Race you!" he called back as he started running out of the room, Dave's quick footsteps following him out.

* ... ... ... *

Dirk: 8
Dave: 6

Gasping laughter and quick orders filled the streets of busy neighborhoods as two young boys ran away from their latest victim. Ghoulish monsters were forced to surrender their candy after losing a battle of wits and courage against the heroes. Their punishment should be death but the prince and the knight were merciful and spared their foul lives in favor of just taking their treasure.

Unfortunately their last duel was interrupted when an overprotective sibling got in the way which led them to being in the predicament they currently found themselves in.

"Dave, there!" the older called, pointing to a taller brick fence ahead of them that led into someone's yard. Picking up speed to reach it first, Dirk spun around in front of it and cupped his hands low for his brother to run jump onto. With the boost from his prince, Dave made it onto the wall and reached his hand down for him to grab after taking two quick steps back to get a little momentum into his jump. Though they were both young, they were strong and they had nothing but time to practice all sorts of training so things like this were something extremely practiced between the two of them.

They heard shouts of anger from the other side of the wall once they jumped down and they laughed harder as they continued running until they were a few more blocks away. They doubted their pursuer would chase them this far because let's face it, half a bag of Halloween candy just isn't worth it.

"Pretty sure we're clear now." Dirk panted as the two leaned up against a wall of the building they had finally decided to stop at. The knight nodded before starting to chuckle in amazement, something his brother questioned.

"I can't believe we managed to do that with all the candy." they both laughed at the thought that hadn't crossed their minds at the time. The weight of all the loot they were carrying should have slowed them down but it felt like it wasn't even there. After the older caught his breath and composed himself, he stood straighter and turned to his partner in cri- justice, his partner in justice.

"Well Captain, I think we defeated all the monsters lurking about tonight. The citizens will be safe so why don't we return to the palace?" Dave nodded in agreement, bowing to the other.

"Yes, prince." instead of casually walking back home, the Striders tiptoed within the shadows to avoid confrontation with any other trick or treating children as if actually in the presence of whatever it was that the others were dressed as. Stealthily sneaking around like this as if they really did carry valuable treasure while being surrounded by monsters that wished to steal it all from them was just more fun to them than simply walking home.

There were a few times they were almost caught and had to stop to go into hiding but they were able to make it home without being detected. They agreed to celebrate with soda and some of their loot when they were into their pajamas and in Dirk's room.

"The lights are off." Dave commented as they came up to their house.

"They're always off." the older shrugged, not having expected their parents to stay up until they returned home to make sure they were safe. They just didn't care about them enough to consider things like that. "Why do you keep hoping that they'll start caring about us?"

"They're our parents, they're supposed to care. Everyone at school is pretty chill with their parents but ours are like strangers to us." Dave stated with annoyance clearly in his voice. He was still new to school and being around more people than just Dirk so the way 'normal people' or 'normal families' operated was strange to him since it differed from the way things were run in his life at home. It wasn't so much that he wished his parents would love him since he didn't particularly care for them either and he had his big brother to love him rather than he just expected them to behave as he was learning parents should since that's what they called themselves.

"We're not a normal family Dave." Dirk sighed regrettably at having to tell him this. He wished he could tell him to aim high but if their parents were involved, the highest either of them was going to get was the ground. "You should lower your expectations for our parents because trust me, they'll always disappoint you." the boy pulled his keys out from his pocket to unlock the front door. As he pushed it open, they were greeted only by darkness which was nothing uncommon but this time it felt sadder somehow. As if Dirk too were expecting some sort of welcome home regardless that Dave was the only one to ever give him that. Wordlessly the boys headed to their parents' bedroom, peeking in to find them both asleep as always. "See Dave, they never change." he closed the door and guided his brother away. "Come on, let's get ready for bed." they brushed their teeth and dressed in silence, both in their own thoughts. Normally they would talk about this sort of thing but apart from them already having had this conversation a handful of times, they shared the same thoughts and feelings about it so there was nothing to say.

Though the plan was to stay up and celebrate another great Halloween in Dirk's room, they ended up crawling into Dave's bed together and cuddling close.

"Dirk?" the red eyed boy called after the two were comfortable.

"Hm?" the other responded tiredly.

"Let's run away together."

"We have to wait until we're eighteen." Dirk yawned and readjusted slightly, already half asleep.

"But you're older than me so you'll get to leave first." slight fear had crept into Dave's voice at the possibility of being left behind by the only person that mattered.

"That's why I'm going to get a place for us to stay and you'll come with me when you can."

"So you've already thought this all through?" Dave asked, a bit surprised that he hadn't shared this plan until now.

"M-hm." Dirk nodded. "Don't worry Dave, I'll wait for you." a tired hand ruffled the younger's blonde hair before going back to its previous location. "So go to sleep." Dave laughed a little to himself before resituating himself and relaxing so he could follow his beloved brother into sleep.

Love in the Strider household was something only shared between the brothers and they were okay with that because that was everything to them.

* ... ... ... *

Dirk: 9
Dave: 7

The eldest Strider boy sighed at the loud thunder, his mind consumed by worry. He didn't care much about the storm but it worried him because he knew that Dave was afraid of thunder. In the past whenever there was a storm, the two would sleep together so that the younger wouldn't be afraid but their parents thought that they were too old to be sleeping together, not that they let that stop them. Dave was only seven which put Dirk at nine, bullshit they were too old. They also thought that Dave was too old to be afraid of something so 'childish' which again, he's seven years old! Of course they didn't understand- they didn't understand anything about their own sons. Yes, Dirk did agree that Dave needed to get over his fear but he thought everyone needed to get over their fears- he knew he still had a few phobias he needed to face and get over. But this was Dave, his baby brother, they were talking about. He loved his little brother more than anything and he was very protective over him so he wanted to take things slowly and help Dave conquer his fears at his own pace. Their parents were trying to force him to get over it as if it really was just that simple. Dirk wanted Dave to conquer his fears… but more than anything, he wanted to help him do it. He didn't want Dave to do anything without him. He wouldn't be able to handle it if Dave took a big step- or even a small one without his help or at least without him there to witness it.

It was a rather loud boom of thunder that sounded close to their location that finally got Dirk out of bed and out of his room to sneak out to Dave to provide the comfort he knew the other needed.

Dave pulled his blanket over his head when a loud clap of thunder sounded throughout the house. He curled in on himself a bit when another one followed shortly after. A few moments passed without thunder and the boy peeked out from under his blanket only to have a very loud and very close boom echo in his ears like a gunshot. He bolted out of his bed, gripping his blanket in his small hands as he ran out of his room. When he saw his big brother in the hallway, he rushed over to him to jump into his arms. Dirk was a bit surprised that they had met in the hall like this but he shrugged it off when Dave ran over to him and practically crashed into him in his attempt to get his arms around him. His small body was shaking though it calmed greatly as soon as he was in his brother's embrace.

"It's okay Dave." he whispered to his little brother as he held him close. "I'm here Dave. Big Bro's here." Dave smiled a bit, knowing that he would be safe with him though his smile left him when he heard more thunder. He jumped a little and his grip on his older brother tightened.

"The thunder's too loud…" Dave whimpered and Dirk was about to respond when he heard their parents' bedroom door open.

"Shit." he grumbled to himself, knowing that whoever came out would be upset that they were together tonight and they would get into trouble. The older boy quickly opened the closest door to them and pushed Dave and himself inside before closing it again to lean against it and listen to their father's footsteps leaving the house, probably on his way to work. He always left really early in the morning and sometimes wouldn't be home until late at night.

Once everything outside the room they were in went quiet, Dirk flipped on the light to find that they were in the bathroom. Might as well stay in here since neither of their parents ever came in here due to them having their own bathroom connected to their room.

"We'll stay in here until the storm passes, okay Dave?" the other only nodded and wrapped his blanket tighter around his shoulders. "Stay here." he flashed a quick smile at Dave as he quietly opened the door. "I'll go get some pillows and blankets. Just wait here for me; I'll be back in just a moment."

"Okay." he nodded in understanding as he leaned against the wall, waiting for the other to leave and come back. Seeing that Dave was okay for the time being, Dirk quickly rushed back to his room to pull the pillows and blankets off his bed before rushing back into the bathroom where he dumped the stuff on the ground and left again to grab some sheets and more pillows from the hallway closet where said things were stored in case they were needed and they were needed now. Dave smiled up at his brother when he returned to the bathroom and began making a fort in the bathtub. He moved to help out, taking the job of putting most of the pillows at the bottom while Dirk was busy with setting everything else up. Just as he was picking up another pillow to add to the padding they would be laying on, thunder roared in his ears- it even seemed to shake the house. He jumped, gasped loudly, dropped the pillow, and leapt forward to wrap his arms tightly around Dirk. Having been caught in an awkward position, the older wriggled a bit to free his arms from his brother's grip so he could properly hold him.

"It's okay Dave, it's okay." he shooshed his younger brother in what he hoped was a soothing voice.

"Is the fort almost done?" Dave's small voice asked and the other nodded as he unwrapped one arm from around him to continue building.

"Yeah. You can get in if you want to." hesitantly, Dave nodded and released his brother to climb into the decked out bathtub and nestled into one corner only to jump a bit when he heard more thunder though this one sounded farther off so that was good. When he looked up, Dirk was smiling at him and he smiled back though it was small. He watched as the other finished putting the fort together and turned off the light before getting into the fort with him. Dirk got himself comfortable before summoning his baby brother into his arms so he could wrap two blankets around them. Dave snuggled against Dirk and closed his eyes, enjoying the heat from the other boy and the blankets. He didn't even flinch when he heard yet another clap of thunder. He was in Dirk's arms. Nothing could hurt him here.

* ... ... ... *

Dirk: 10
Dave: 8

The younger Strider boy paced outside the school building as he waited for his big brother to finish talking to his teacher who had requested that he stay behind to talk about a test he had taken today. Dirk had been struggling with the subject the test covered but he seemed rather confident this morning so Dave was sure he was being congratulated on a good score.

Sighing, the eight year old kicked a nearby rock as he wondered why Dirk was taking so long. All the other kids had left with their parents already, not many other people were around anymore. He didn't like being without Dirk, he wasn't used to it. Every second they could be spending together felt empty when alone. Maybe it wouldn't hurt to go inside and wait with him. It's not like they were talking about anything Dave wouldn't be told about later anyway so what was the harm?

"Hey Butt-Face!" Dave sighed deeply when he heard the childish insult. He was younger than these kids yet he found their name calling to be childish and stupid. Regardless, he turned to face them. There stood two boys and one girl, all three about Dirk's age. He didn't know the boys but the girl had made it her personal mission to torture Dave whenever she could. Her name was Vriska and while he wasn't afraid of her, he didn't like encountering her either.

"What do you want?" he called back to them and they snickered to each other.

"Did big brother finally abandon you?" they laughed and the younger rolled his eyes, knowing that Dirk would never do that to him.

"Even if he did, he still wouldn't ever become friends with you jackasses." he stated and though he wanted to smirk, he kept his poker face up. While his insult vocabulary was still young, it was much more mature than theirs.

"You think you're such a hot shot just because you're Dirk's baby brother," the girl growled. "But that's all you are, his baby brother. He doesn't actually like you; he has to let you hang around him." she finished as she stepped closer to the Strider. This time, he couldn't keep the smirk from his face at knowing how wrong she was.

"If that's what you need to tell yourself to sleep at night, keep at it Doll." the eight year old shrugged. That made her even angrier.

"Don't think that we don't know what you're doing. You're trying to be just like Dirk- but you're nothing like Dirk."

"Yeah, he's way cool and you're just a loser." that got to Dave a little and the smirk he wore vanished. He knew he would never compare to Dirk… why did they have to point that out? He panicked when his shades were suddenly yanked off of his face and Vriska ran away with them, leaving a small scratch on him where her nails had met his cheek. Dave quickly closed his eyes and chased after her to try to get them back. He had to get them back!

"These sunglasses are so lame! Dirk's are so much cooler!"

"Give them back!" Dave yelled and they laughed as they easily kept away from the younger student with his eyes closed. Where was Dirk when he really needed him?

"No way!" one boy shouted as he stopped and let Dave get close to him before tossing the eyewear to Vriska who exclaimed that she had caught them.

"Come and get them, looooooooser!" she taunted and Dave clenched his teeth before turning around and walking angrily toward her, keeping his eyes closed.

"Give them back. Now!" he yelled at her as he held his hand out for them. Since he wasn't looking, he didn't know where to grab for them and the last thing he was going to do was start feeling around for them.

"Is that anyway to talk to a lady?" she pouted falsely.

"This is how I talk to a bitch." he growled and the others were silent for a moment before a dreadful sound echoed in Dave's ears. The sound… of his sunglasses being crushed before they clanked to the ground. He slowly tilted his head down to where his discolored eyes wouldn't be seen before opening them a crack, hoping like hell that he would see that his sunglasses were fine but he had no such luck. They were on the ground, in pieces. His eyes widened in rage. How could she do this? She really was a bitch!

"What are you hiding from us anyway, little boy?" she taunted him again. "Let's have a look at those ugly eyes of yours." her hand was under his chin, trying to get him to look up but he wouldn't.

"You…" he forced his hand to straighten before raising it to run it across her smug face. "You whore!" he yelled, keeping his head down.

It was only a moment before the two boys were on him, punching and kicking him until he was curled into a ball on the ground with his arms around his head. There wasn't much he could do without his sunglasses. He couldn't let anyone see his eyes, Mom and Dad had stressed that to the two boys so much their entire lives it seemed like a threat. But he couldn't fight back if he was blind.

"Hey!" he heard the voice of his savior but he couldn't tell who it was. The boys were shoved away from him, both of them yelping in pain. Gentle arms wrapped around him protectively and a soothing voice flooded through his ears and calmed his mind. "Dave, are you okay?" Dirk. He was safe now. One of his brother's hands moved to cup his face. "Dave? Dave, look at me." upon his instruction to do so, he opens his eyes though he squinted against the light. He couldn't see the bullies so he guessed that Dirk must have made sure he was at an angle that they wouldn't be able to see his eyes before telling him to open them. "There you go." he smiled and stroked his little brother's cheek with his thumb. "You okay?" he questioned and the other nodded, claiming that he was fine but his banged up body betrayed his words. Bruises were visible on his exposed skin though there were bound to be many more hidden under his clothes. There was one forming on his cheek and Dirk could see scratch marks near his eye. Those were the wounds he was most upset about. How dare they touch his perfect little face! He'd have their heads for this! "What the hell is going on here?" Dirk demanded and the younger Strider smirked at their nervous stutters. Weren't so tough now, were they?

"Uh… Dirk h-he hit me first. Dave slapped me!" the girl shouted as if that was either supposed to make him forgive them or side with them.

"Close your eyes and wait here, Lil Bro." Dirk spoke to the younger and he nodded before shutting his eyes. He sat up and supported himself as Dirk released him to stand up. He covered his eyes with his hands just in case he decided to peek a little. "Who broke his glasses?" he demanded and Dave heard Vriska squeak a bit and guessed that she was pointed out. He heard the boys yelling in pain and pleading with Dirk to stop but Dave didn't peek. His brother told him to close his eyes and he knew that meant no peeking. But when he heard the boys running away and the girl shriek, he couldn't help it. He peeked through his fingers to see Dirk in front of her with his hand raised before slapping her. The sound had created a bit of an echo and Dave stared with slightly widened eyes. Dirk had always told him not to hit girls but yet, here he was, slapping the girl he too had just slapped a minute ago. She fell on her ass and stared up at Dirk with tears pouring down her face.

"D-Dirk…" she croaked out in disbelief.

"I don't care that you're a girl- no one touches my little brother and gets away with it." he growled fiercely before turning and walking back over to said person. "Come on Dave." he called as he stood in front of the other and helped him to his feet. He told his younger sibling to keep his eyes closed and he would guide him.

Once they were a considerable distance from their school, Dirk sighed.

"So… you hit her?" his voice was blank so Dave couldn't pick up any emotion. He couldn't tell if he was angry or proud or anything.

"Yeah. After she broke my glasses, I slapped her." he nodded, keeping his hand over his eyes.

"I'm not mad, she deserved it." he stated and Dave sighed in relief as said feeling flooded over him.

"Thanks Dirk." he laughed, having been very worried that Dirk was angry at him. The older boy only nodded regardless that the other couldn't see him.

Though he was tempted to peek, he obeyed his brother by keeping his eyes hidden as he was guided to an unknown place. He was aware they had walked into a building though he wasn't sure where they were. Dirk walked around a little as if searching for something and Dave could hear people talking around them. Some talked about food and clothing while others talked about toys and electronics. He guessed they were in a store.

"Try these on." Dirk instructed as he placed something in the younger's hand, something he recognized as glasses so he slipped them on over his eyes before opening them to see Dirk pointing to a mirror to the side of a sunglasses rack. He saw that he was wearing a pair of shades exactly like his brother's, wide and pointed. He looked up at Dirk with a smile.

"They're just like yours!" he exclaimed and the older boy nodded.

"Do you want me to get them for you or do you want a different pair?"

"I want these ones!" the boy called excitedly as he looked back in the mirror. Dirk smiled and kissed his head before leading him over to the check out. Now Dave felt even closer to his brother and he couldn't be happier with that feeling.

* ... ... ... *

Dirk: 11
Dave: 9

"Alright Dave, that's enough practice for now." Dirk panted, backing up until his legs hit something for him to fall on to rest a bit. His little brother nodded in agreement as he dropped the toy sword he had a death grip on for the past few hours. Dirk told him never to let the enemy knock it out of his hand but holding it like that just made all the muscles in his entire arm ache terribly. Instead of collapsing where he stood, he walked over to Dirk before falling to his knees as his arms wrapped around his middle and his head falling into his chest as he gasped for air. "You okay Lil Man?" he chuckled and Dave nodded.

"Do we have to practice tomorrow too?" Dirk laughed at the pouty tone he had used.

"No, we can give it a few days break because you did so well." he promised, tossing his sword aside as well.

"Yay." the younger said tiredly as he snuggled into his brother more, enjoying the feeling of Dirk's fingers running through his hair, damp with sweat as it be. They had been practicing fighting with swords and their fists, learning new techniques and creating their own to arm themselves with a deadly arsenal of combat moves should they ever need such things. They mostly wanted to learn so they could spar and have fun. "Hey Bro?" Dave called after a long while of resting, having given enough time for both of their breath to return. He continued after hearing the usual 'hm' of acknowledgement from the older Strider. "Is love and marriage for anybody or just for boys and girls?"

"Most people think that it's just between boys and girls but there are a few people that believe love and marriage should be for everybody regardless of gender." Dirk explained and the other nodded before asking for his opinion. "I think it's not right for someone else tell you who you can love and who you can't." he shrugged. "If you love another man, I think it's wrong for someone to tell you that you can't be with him simply because you're the same gender. Love is love and if you ever do fall in love with a boy, I support you and wish you the very best."

"But I love you Dirk, I don't need to love anyone else." that drew out a smile and a warm hug.

"I love you too Dave." the younger sighed in content before another question came to mind.

"Our parents are married, right?"

"Mhm."

"But people get married because they love each other, don't they? So why did they get married?" Dirk sighed deeply a bit in annoyance at the thought of their parents.

"I think they used to love each other." Dave's head shot up to stare into his brother's eyes worriedly.

"Love can disappear?" he shouted in shock and Dirk shrugged.

"I guess so. People change and sometimes that change is enough to turn feelings sour." he gasped when Dave's grasp on him suddenly got much tighter as he buried his face into his chest.

"Don't ever change Dirk- I don't want to stop loving you!" Dirk laughed, prying at the younger's arms a bit to loosen his death grip.

"That's not quite what I meant Lil Bro." he reassured him, easing his gaze back to his orange eyes. "Everyone changes; it's just a part of life. Everyone learns and grows and changes. That's not always a bad thing, sometimes it can be a really good thing." Dave still looked worried. "I'll swear to always love you no matter how you change if you swear to always love me no matter how I change, okay?" there's that smile he loved.

"I swear to always love you no matter how you change Dirk." he giggled and moved to sit on Dirk's lap now as he listened to him make the same vow. "Dirk?"

"Hm?"

"Did we just get married?" his small voice asked shyly, a light red coming over his cheeks. Dirk turned his head to kiss his lips gently.

"Now we're married." he smiled and Dave beamed, his blush getting darker. He threw his arms around his older brother's neck and laughed with joy. He was married to Dirk! He had never been happier.

* ... ... ... *

Dirk: 12
Dave: 10

Thunder clapped outside and the older Strider boy sighed for at least the tenth time that night. He was worried about Dave. He's been sleeping alone during storms for a few months now and each time, Dirk hardly slept. Whenever he would ask the younger how he's been sleeping during a storm, Dave just said he was sleeping fine but Dirk could tell he was lying.

Finally getting up, Dirk made his way to Dave's room and cracked the door open to peer in. Dave was… asleep. But it was… it was storming. Yet he was asleep. He had snuck a few peeks into the younger's room during every storm that passed them and Dave was always awake or he would wake up when thunder sounded over them. But now… he was soundly asleep. In the middle of a storm.

Dirk smiled and stepped into the room to sit at his sibling's side before leaning over to kiss his head. He was glad that Dave was able to sleep but somehow he felt like it was more than that. Dave wasn't afraid anymore. That made him happy. He left Dave to go back to his own room, looking back at him before closing the door. The orange eyed boy got back to his own bedroom and crawled back into bed with a content sigh. Dave wasn't afraid of thunder anymore. Now Dirk could sleep easy as well.

* ... ... ... *

Dirk: 13
Dave: 11

Dave and Dirk walked hand in hand through the unfamiliar building with the rest of their schoolmates who were attending this thing as well. Their school was on a special field trip to see an orchestra which the older boy was at least a little excited for but the only reason the younger came was because Dirk had and he wasn't going to leave his brother.

"Everyone remember to stay with your partner at all times so no one gets lost." the teacher supervising their group called and Dave's hand tightened on Dirk's who squeezed him back gently to show him that he was still there and he wasn't going anywhere. Dave smiled and continued to stare ahead as they entered the large auditorium where the performers were already setting up on the stage. Dave was already bored with this whole thing while his brother was content and looking forward to the music.

After they were sat down, Dirk tried to take his hand back but the younger wouldn't allow him to have it as he held it tighter. Dirk just smiled and let the other keep it; he enjoyed holding his little brother's hand anyway even if they were told they were too old to be doing it now.

It took a while for the orchestra to actually start playing but once they did, Dirk listened peacefully while Dave just hung his head in boredom. He didn't want to just sit here and listen to people play soothing music; he preferred the loud upbeat music his big brother often played.

"Dirk?" he finally whispered to his brother. He hadn't wanted to disturb him but he was just so incredibly bored.

"Hm?" the older responded, leaning to his side to hear him better.

"I'm really bored." he complained and Dirk nodded with a sigh before turning around in his seat to get the supervising teacher's attention.

"Dave needs to go to the bathroom." he told her, knowing that he would be told to go with him since he was his partner. "Come on." he pulled Dave along with him as they shuffled out of their seats and into the side aisle before following it to the doors out to the hallway but instead of going to the bathroom like they were supposed to, they just sat out in the hallway where they were able to talk and Dirk could still hear the music. It was a win for them both.

"When do we get to go home?"

"We just got here Dave." the older sighed. "If you're really that bored, why did you come?"

"Because you did." Dave sighed, laying his head on his brother's shoulder and wrapping his arms around him. "I didn't just want to sit at home waiting for you to get back." Dirk pulled his arms away from his body, looking around to make sure no one was around to see.

"Not here Dave." Dirk whispered.

"What? Why not?" he pouted and Dirk rolled his eyes behind his shades.

"People might see."

"So?"

"So not here." Dave huffed at his words and folded his arms, staring ahead as he silently pouted. They sat in an awkward tense silence, listening to the music made by the string instruments in the other room. "I'm sorry." he finally said and the other turned to him questioningly, wondering why he looked so sad. "It's just that we're getting older so it's becoming weird to those around us that we still have as much physical contact as we do that normal brothers don't." again they fell to silence as Dave tried to understand what he was just told.

"But… we're not normal brothers." he objected, turning more to face his sibling completely.

"I know Dave but everyone else doesn't know that and they can't otherwise we'll get in trouble." he informed his uncaring little brother, hoping he could get through to him the importance of the matter.

"But why-"

"Because that's just the way it is." he stated rather harshly, silencing the other. "The excess touching has to stop."

"What?" the younger demanded a bit frantically before Dirk told him to keep quiet. "So we can't cuddle or hold hands anymore?" Dirk shook his head and Dave's eyes widened. "I can't… can I still kiss you?" Dirk's face went a little red at that and he had to look away from his little brother's upset face if he was to stand his ground and shake his head in denial. "But… but Dirk…"

"Not in public." the older boy quickly added, scolding himself for giving in even if it was just a little. He was just as upset as Dave about having to do this but he didn't like the stares and whispers that were starting about them so he had to do something about it. Dave was quiet, again thinking about how the change would affect him.

"Okay…" Dirk looked at him again, hopeful that things would go well from here. "Not in public, I can live with that." he put on a smile even though he was still a bit upset but Dirk's returned smile of appreciation was worth it.

"Thanks Lil Man." he looked around before leaning over to place a gentle kiss on Dave's lips which made his smile grow.

"Don't mention it Bro." both of their heads turned to the door when it opened.

"There you two are. What are you doing out here, I thought you were going to the bathroom?" the supervising teacher asked as she folded her arms.

"We started talking and didn't want to disturb everyone else." Dirk stated smoothly as they stood up, watching as the teacher nodded at them knowingly before guiding them back to their seats so another group could go to the bathroom.

Throughout the event, Dave tried to be quiet and sit still but he would often try to strike up a whispered conversation with his brother and he would respond if he had something to say but they would be told to stop talking if they said too much. If you asked the younger Strider boy, time moved in slow motion through the entire musical performance so when everyone stood to applaud the music at the end, he was applauding that it was finally over. Now they could go home where he could cuddle with Dirk, hold his hand all he wanted, and kiss him whenever he wanted to. As long as their parents weren't watching but they were never around and when they were, they were mostly ignored.

The bus ride home found a young Strider fading in and out of consciousness, his head often falling onto the older's shoulder. Dirk chuckled lightly to himself when his sibling's body leaned on his again. He shook Dave awake, ignoring his apology as he shifted away only to be pulled back after Dirk had removed his jacket to put over his little brother as a blanket.

"Bro?" he questioned, wondering what happened to the whole 'not in public' thing.

"Get some sleep Dave, I'll wake you up when we get home." he mumbled, a bit tired himself. Dave didn't question the other's actions further, deciding to just enjoy Dirk's arms around him while he could. If he was lucky, Dirk would let him sleep with him tonight.

* ... ... ... *

Dirk: 14
Dave: 12

Dirk sat alone in his room, focusing on each stitch that he put into his first puppet. He knew it wouldn't be perfect, it was only his first after all, but he wanted it to be as close to perfect as he could get it. His first creation's name was to be Lil Cal and he would be amazing.

"Come in Dave." he called without looking up when a soft knock sounded on his door. His little brother stepped in, pushing his sunglasses up on his head as he shut the door behind him.

"Still working on that thing?" Dave asked with a small chuckle. "It's looking pretty good so far, what'd you do? Stay up working on it all night and day?" he joked.

"Yes." the older answered shortly, his focus remaining on his work.

"Dude it's three in the afternoon, you should get to sleep." he suggested with a worried tone, now noticing the shakiness in the other's hands.

"I can't, he's not done. If I don't get him finished then I-"

"Dirk." the younger said strictly as he turned his brother's head toward him, forcing his eyes away from the puppet. "Cal will still be here when you wake up. You need to sleep." Dirk stared up at him for awhile almost pleading for permission to continue working but the red eyed boy wouldn't give it to him. Finally he sighed and carefully placed his incomplete puppet on his desk and allowed Dave to guide him over to his bed. "I made something for you… do you wanna hear it?" he asked shyly and Dirk nodded, not realizing how tired he actually was until he was laying down. "It's a rap." his orange eyed brother chuckled happily at that.

"Let's hear it." the older turned onto his side so he could see Dave as the younger Strider started. This wasn't the first time Dave had come to him for approval on a rap, he was still perfecting his own style and wanted to make sure his idol thought it was coming along nicely which honestly Dirk thought he was doing great. Then again, even if he was a terrible rapper Dirk would still be proud of him for trying, he was always proud of Dave.

* ... ... ... *

Dirk: 15
Dave: 13

"I'm handing out a package for you guys to complete by the end of the class." the teacher called as he passed out some papers stapled together to everyone. Since the Strider brothers share the same last name, they sat next to each other in their assigned seats and always worked together on projects and homework. This being their shared art class, it was their favorite and possibly the class they did the best in since they both carried a passion for art. As soon as they got their packets, they started to go over some of the questions together. "No, no, I want you two to work with somebody else today." the teacher shook his head as he passed them. "I know you two can finish that entire thing in a matter of minutes so I want you to split up." the brothers exchanged a disappointed glance but looked back up at the teacher, waiting for him to pin them with a new partner. "Dave, I want you with Nick." he pointed at a punk kid that seemed to think he was so cool. Fuck that kid, he had no idea what cool was. Speaking of cool, Dave adjusted his new glasses over his eyes. They were round and a bit larger than the triangular pair Dirk still wore. His best friend, John, had sent them to him for his birthday the other week and he still wasn't quite adjusted to them yet but he liked them and Dirk said they looked good on him so he was determined to get used to them.

The younger Strider rolled his eyes, spared his brother one last glance before getting up and moving over to sit next to his temporary partner. He already regretted this.

"And… Mary, will you come work with Dirk?" Dave's eyes widened and he turned back to see the girl that Dirk had been forced with when he heard her gasp loudly in excitement. Just from the sound of it, the younger Strider could tell that she was one of Dirk's many fans.

He glared at the girl as she hurriedly collected her things to sit next to his brother. He hated her kind. He hated anyone that took a liking to Dirk- but he totally wasn't jealous! That's not what was going on here!

He looked over to the punk he was supposed to be working with only to find that he was too busy chatting with the girl sitting a few desks away from him. He wasn't going to be of any use and for that, Dave was actually grateful. He didn't want to work with anyone other than his brother and he most certainly didn't want anyone holding him back. He finally turned his eyes to the packet of work set out for him to do and began working on it, occasionally his shaded eyes finding their way to Dirk and the girl he was forced to work with. Dirk seemed to be trying to work while the girl seemed to only be interested in chatting him up. He glared murder at the girl; if only looks could kill, he'd have her burning in the fiery pits of Hell itself.

It only took a few minutes for Dave to complete the entire packet, having to consult the textbook a few times to answer a question where he would usually consult Dirk. When he looked back at his brother who he would normally finish at the same time with due to the fact that they always worked together and even when they were forced to work alone, they would finish around the same time though Dirk was usually just a touch faster than the younger was. But today, he was barely beyond the second page with that girl practically hanging over him trying to avert his attention from his work which she seemed to be doing a successful job of considering how far behind he was. There was only one thing Dave wanted more than walking over there to beat that girl to a pulp. Who was she to think that she could just so forwardly hit on his brother? He would really like to pick up the nearest chair and beat her with it until it broke.

Dave didn't realize that Dirk was trying to get his attention until he saw the other's hand waving at him in a distracting manner. Lightly waving back to inform him that he had gotten his attention, Dave watched as Dirk's hands moved to ask a question in sign language which they were both taking together for second hour.

"Are you okay?" the younger sighed and signed back to the other.

"Peachy." Dirk turned back to look at the girl when she asked him a question though Dave couldn't hear what she said. "What does she want?" he questioned when his brother's head turned to him for a moment only to stop and watch what he said.

"She wanted to know if there was any time that I was available to study." instead of answering, Dave just made air quotes with his fingers at which Dirk chuckled and nodded his head before he once again looked at the girl. Dave wasn't that great at lip reading but he was pretty sure that he had responded to her with, "Just Dave." she then asked him a few questions and the younger Strider was able to determine that Dirk was explaining that they knew sign language and Dave could hear her exclaim about how cool that was.

"What did you tell her?" he questioned when Dirk's gaze found its way back to his little brother.

"I was just telling her that we take-" Dave stopped him by shaking his hand in a dismissive manner.

"I meant about the date."

"I haven't answered her." why did that worry Dave?

"Are you going to?"

"I'm not sure. Should I say yes?" that pissed him off.

"Why would you?" Dave hadn't noticed that his hands began to move faster in his anger. "She's just another one of your stupid fans."

"Damn Dave, I was kidding, I already told her I wasn't interested. She's annoying as hell." Dirk shook his head. "You seriously need to calm your tits." with that, he turned his attention back to his assignment and didn't spare even a single glance at his little brother after that. Dave turned forward in his seat and folded his arms on the desk in front of him to rest his head on though his eyes stayed fixed on his older brother.

For the remainder of the class, the Strider brothers were silent and though no one felt the tension, it was there and it weighed heavily down on the younger. The assignments of those who were finished were collected and for those whose work was still incomplete had homework. The students were let loose to chat for the last five minutes of class so Dave moved to kick his brother's fangirl out of his seat so he could take it. At first, she refused but slowly got up to move back to her own desk when Dirk too told her to leave. Sliding back into his chair, Dave looked at his brother as if waiting for him to speak first but he didn't. They sat in silence until the bell rang. Dirk threw on his backpack and made for the exit with his sibling following close behind.

"Dirk?" Dave finally called before the other could enter his next class, he continued when said boy finally stopped and looked back at him which flooded his mind with relief. He hated receiving the silent treatment from Dirk more than anything. "Can we talk?" Dirk sighed and looked through the window of his classroom door before nodding and motioning the younger to follow him as he made his way to the doors that exited the building. He only stopped when he was across the soccer field where he could sit down with his back against the fence separating their school from everything else.

"I would ask what you wanted but I'm pretty sure I already know the answer." Dirk's irritated voice said and Dave found his heart fluttering. That was the first time he had heard his brother's voice since earlier that morning before they spilt up to go to their classes and even when they got to their shared art class, neither of them spoke as they were doing their daily bell ringer and after that they were split up and only talked briefly in sign language. Regardless that his voice was annoyed, it was still a beautiful tune to Dave's deprived ears.

"I didn't mean to piss you off earlier." he stated a touch awkwardly as he moved to sit next to his brother, perhaps a bit too close, but he didn't seem to mind. Dirk sighed heavily.

"You can't keep this up Dave. You can't keep getting so jealous every time someone seems interested in me. For whatever reason, I'm really popular so you're just going to have to deal with people trying to be all over me."

"I know- I just…" he paused to take a breath to level his voice. "I just can't help it." they sat in silence for a long while before Dirk asked him why. "I… well I… I think… that I…" his face was hot and he didn't know how he was supposed to say this to this certain person but Dirk only stared back with that stoic look that they shared though Dave's mask wasn't up at the moment since he was alone with his brother. He was always like this when it was just the two of them; unguarded. How was he supposed to tell him… that whenever they were together he felt safe, whenever they were alone he felt like he could be a real person rather than just a cool kid, whenever they got close his heart beat faster, whenever they touched he felt hot all over, whenever he thought about him he felt an odd lightness in his chest, and even when he tried- he couldn't stop thinking about him! How was he supposed to tell him that he craved for his brother to kiss him like he used to when they were much younger? How was Dave supposed to tell his brother that he thinks he might be in love with him?

"Whatever you're trying to say, I most likely already know. I'm pretty observant, you know." he was right. Dirk was really smart and was able to pick up on everything very quickly. And it's not like Dave had been very secretive with his feelings.

"W-well I… I just… I think that I… might… be…" he looked at Dirk for a millisecond before averting his eyes again. He pulled his knees up to his chest to wrap his arms around them and bury his face in them before spitting out what he wanted to say. "I think I'm in love with you." he held his breath as he waited for the other's reaction which came much faster and much calmer than he thought it would be.

"Yeah, I know." he sighed again. Of course he had known, the younger boy was rather obvious about it but he could just never bring himself to say anything about it because he didn't feel the same way and just… how do you confront someone about something like this? He had tried dropping a few hints by not allowing the younger to be so clingy with him, he stopped letting Dave sleep with him years ago, and overall he tried to keep everything as brotherly as possible between them yet while he knew Dave noticed the hints, he apparently chose to ignore them. "You know, I used to think the same thing." Dave's eyes widened and his head snapped up to stare at the other, dumbstruck. "But I grew up and realized that what we had was just a clinging love that stemmed from a bad childhood. Our parents are neglectful and all we've ever had is each other so as we started to grow up and learn about more adult things, it's understandable that those feelings twisted into something more intimate because we're curious and we're so close. What you're feeling isn't love Dave and when you grow up a little more, you'll understand that it's just a phase like I did." Dave's head had slowly found its way back into his knees as he listened to his brother. He felt like crying because he felt in his heart that Dirk was wrong. He knew what he was feeling… it wasn't just twisted curiosity. He had legitimate feelings for Dirk. But he was older, he was smarter, and apparently he had gone through this before… so maybe he was right. Maybe this was just a phase. But just the thought of that possibility made him really sad.

"Okay…" Dave mumbled with a short nod of his head.

"I know you must be upset now but it'll go away, okay?" the younger nodded, otherwise not moving. The older Strider pulled the other into his arms for a hug though Dave didn't dare to return it, in fear that he would somehow make things worse. If this was a phase then he needed to start getting over it. He wasn't in love with Dirk, he wasn't. "What do you say we head to class now? We're already late." again Dave only nodded weakly before the two began to stand. Dave really didn't feel like going back to school but he saw no other option. "I love you Lil Man." Dirk said as he hugged his baby brother again. His words stung Dave's heart but he bit back the tears that threatened to fall from his eyes and hugged the other back.

"I love you too Bro." his returned words only enhanced the empty feeling growing inside of him.

* ... ... ... *

Dirk: 16
Dave: 14

The older Strider slowly got out of bed and crept out of his room. Silently, he made his way to his parents' bedroom and stopped to listen for a moment. No voices and no movement, just light snoring. To be sure that they were asleep, Dirk cracked the door open a touch and peeked in. They were both fast asleep, excellent. He closed their door and made his way into the living room. He put on his shoes and jacket before grabbing a pair of red converse high tops and a red jacket from the closet and walked back into the hallway, stopping in front of his little brother's bedroom. Not bothering to knock, he opened the door and stepped in, watching as Dave sat up.

"What are you doing in here?" his voice was demanding but curious and a bit suspicious as well.

"Bringing you your shoes and jacket." he shrugged and smirked. "What else would I be doing in here other than trying to get you ready for a concert?" Dave's face lit up.

"Bro, you didn't." he stood up and walked across his room to take his shoes and jacket from him to put them on. He hadn't gotten dressed into his pajamas yet and now that this was happening, he was glad.

"Of course I did." the older chuckled as he pulled two tickets out of his pocket for Dave to see. Dave had been wanting to go to this concert ever since he figured out some of his favorite bands were going to be playing there but of course their parents wouldn't buy the tickets and when he said that he could get someone to get a ticket for him, they said he wasn't allowed to go. No real reason for it, they were just asshats. Dave had been behaving himself lately because he wanted to go. Poor kid hasn't been in a single fight or even a spar in nearly a full month. Dirk felt Dave deserved to go but there was no way he was letting him go alone, they did everything together and this was no different so they were sneaking out of the house tonight to go to the concert.

"Thank you Dirk!" the younger exclaimed as he threw his arms around the other's neck after getting his shoes and jacket on. Dirk just chuckled and returned his brother's embrace.

"Come on, let's go." Dirk said as he broke out of the hug to open Dave's window and jump out before turning around and outstretching his hand to the other. The younger Strider took his brother's hand and jumped out of the window as well. They left it open so they could get back in the same way and started to run away from their house, their hands still connected the entire time.

"So what now? Are we just going to run the entire way there?" Dave called to the other who just rolled his eyes.

"Who do you think you're talking to?" the older called back. "I have everything figured out." Dave just huffed but shut up after that. They ran about another block before they could see someone standing near a car, waving them over. It was one of Dirk's friends that he had met in gym class, his name was Equius and if Dave remembered correctly, he owed Dirk a favor. Guess this was pay back. When they reached their fellow student, they were both lightly panting and Dirk released his little brother's hand to greet the hulk of man. "Thanks for meeting us here." Equius nodded.

"Don't wreck my car." he ordered as he held out the keys for Dirk to take so he grabbed them and pulled Dave around the car to open the door for him.

"Calm down, I'm a better driver than you are. Your car is in good hands." Dirk reassured him. Dave got into the passenger seat and Dirk shut the door before walking back around the car to open the driver side door but he didn't get in just yet. "You sure you don't want a ride home?" the other male shook his head.

"No, I don't want to wake anyone up. Besides, I'm heading over to Nepeta's house and she doesn't live too far from here." Dirk chuckled at the mention of the silly girl he had only had the pleasure of meeting once.

"Alright, tell her I said hey and have fun."

"You too." with that, Equius started to walk away and Dirk got into the car. He started the engine, adjusted the mirrors, turned up the heat, and put on his seatbelt before telling Dave to do the same thing, waiting for him to do so before beginning to drive off.

"Guess he made good on that favor." Dave stated and his brother nodded. "When do we need to be home?" at that Dirk laughed.

"Who said anything about going home? When was the last time our parents actually checked in on us? As long as we fill the tank before we return the car, we've got it until he's gotta go to work tomorrow around two." the orange eyed teen informed him.

"So after the concert, what are we doing until then?" Dirk shrugged.

"Anything we want."

… … …

Dave leaned on his older brother as they walked back to their borrowed car, laughing hard enough his sides began to ache.

"I can't believe we actually did that!" he managed through his laughter. "That was so fun!"

"Oh my god Dave, within the next few days we have to keep an eye out for that to pop up on the internet because there's no way in hell someone didn't catch that on camera." Dirk called as they parted to get in on their respective sides of the car.

"Oh I can't wait! I'm going to save every site I find it on!" the younger shook his head as he slowly calmed down and evened his breathing out. After the concert everyone was screaming and shoving each other in their excitement. There was this guy that had shoved Dirk, thinking that he was a part of whatever they were doing and knocked off his shades, nearly damaging them. After he made sure his love's eyes were hidden safely behind his returned sunglasses, Dave decided to get up in the other guy's face disregarding how much smaller he was to the other. A fight nearly broke out though Dirk tried to calm his little brother down, the guy who shoved him seemed to be looking for a fight now. In the end, they had grabbed a large cooler full of some type of liquid and poured it onto the guy, keeping it over his head as they shoved him into a dozen of other people, knocking them all over. After that, they figured it'd be wise to make a run for it before they were hunted down and beaten, not that they couldn't hold their own in a fight, it was just the wiser thing to do. "You okay to drive?" Dave questioned, knowing the other had consumed some alcohol during the concert.

"Yeah, I barely had anything." he nodded, knowing he wasn't some lightweight that got all loopy off of a single shot of whiskey. He would have had some more if he didn't need to drive especially with Dave in the car, he would probably risk endangering his own life but never his baby brother's.

"So where to now?" the red eyed teen asked as Dirk started the car and drove out of the area.

"Wherever you want." he stated and Dave thought about it for a bit.

"Let's go up the canyon." Dirk nodded in approval and headed for their new destination.

The ride was mostly made up of music and shitty singing along, not because they were bad at singing as they were both fairly good at it, but rather because they thought it was ironic to sing along terribly to terrible songs that they just happened to know. It wasn't until they parked up the canyon that the music was turned off with the car. The brothers removed their shades and left them on the dashboard before getting out of the vehicle to meet on the hood, staring down at the distant lights of the city they lived in. Neither of them spoke as they just stared at everything they wanted to get away from. Well now they were, this was as far away as they would get for now. Here they didn't need to hide or pretend or worry. Here they could enjoy the silence and the open air. Here they were safe.

"Thank you Dirk." said teenager turned to his little brother for a moment before looking back to the city lights.

"You're welcome." he stated as he laid down, his back on the windshield and his arms behind his head as he now stared up at the stars that were easier to see up here than down in the city. He closed his eyes but they opened again soon enough when Dave rolled on top of him, straddling his hips and holding his arms down by the forearms since his wrists were under his head. "What are you doing?" he asked, obviously not amused. Without answering Dave leaned down to press his lips to his brother's. Though he didn't kiss the younger back, Dirk didn't push him away either. If he did push Dave away, he would just start a fight but if he simply didn't react, the other would just pout and back off. So the question was, which would he rather deal with? A huge fit or a small kiss? Sometimes he chose the earlier but he wanted to keep tonight as peaceful as possible.

Sure enough when the younger Strider realized that Dirk wasn't going to kiss him back, he pulled away and looked down at him with an accusing glare. The older only shrugged to tell him that he should have expected as much. Wordlessly, Dave got off of his brother to sit on his own side of the hood again though he brought his knees up to his chest to hold them as he pouted quietly to himself.

"Why do you keep trying?" Dirk finally sighed, turning his head to see the other.

"Because I love you." he mumbled, knowing those words didn't mean the same thing to his sibling anymore as they did to him. Not knowing what to say to him, orange eyes glanced back up at the stars.

"You know I love you too Dave." he said, hoping that would be okay for now.

"Not the way I want you to." though it was small, Dirk still heard him and sighed. Even though he was trying to get Dave out of the habit of doing anything romantically intimate with him, he couldn't just leave his baby brother like that. He moved the arm closest to Dave out from under his head to grab said teen and pull him closer. Taking the invitation to cuddle, Dave rested his head on the other's toned chest as Dirk's arm wrapped around his shoulders. Though it didn't solve any of his feelings, being so close to his object of affection like this did make Dave feel better.

* ... ... ... *

Dirk: 17
Dave: 15

Dirk sat in his room, flipping through a few different tabs he had opened on his laptop. He was supposed to be asleep right now but he had spent the last two hours lying awake so he got onto the internet to dick around for a while though he ended up going through some serious things. Well he was down to two tabs now.

There was a gentle knock on his door and he raised his head as it cracked open so Dave could peek in.

"Hey." he greeted as he moved some of the stuff that was on his bed so his little brother could sit there.

"Hey, what are you doing?" the younger asked as he sat on the other's bed, not staying where Dirk had cleared as he moved up to sit right next to him.

"Looking at apartments. I can't decide between these two, which one do you like?" after speaking, he showed the other both of the open pages on the screen as he told him about each of the places. They were both two bedroom, one bathroom apartments and the one that was a little cheaper was closer to home but it was also smaller with space.

"I like the second one." the younger said and Dirk nodded in agreement.

"It's a little more expensive but it has more room and it's farther away from this damn place." it was Dave's turn to nod in agreement.

"So when are you gonna buy it?" Dirk didn't answer. He just started typing out an email to the seller, saying that he was interested in the place but he wanted to take a look around first before he made a decision. "You're still gonna wait until our birthday?"

"I have to." he shrugged.

"Well you could buy the place now so that you have somewhere to go when you leave."

"Who's going to sign my paperwork? I would still be a minor so Mom or Dad would have to be there when I did everything which means that they'll be a part of it and neither of us want that." he sighed. "Look, we'll go in early to do all the paperwork and start getting everything moved in right after that so we won't have to come back here for a while, okay?" Dave nodded in defeat, knowing he was just getting over excited.

"Just think of all the shit you're gonna be able to do as soon as you're out of this hell. You'll get to do whatever you want." the younger rested his head on the other's shoulder. "I'm jealous. I still have two years here." Dirk chuckled as he shrugged his brother off of him.

"You'll spend most of it at my place until you move in anyway." he chuckled and Dave joined as he sat up, a little disappointed that he was indirectly told to move. "We should get to bed, we have school in a few hours." the older stated as he shut down his laptop and placed it on his nightstand next to his charging cellphone.

"Okay." Dave shrugged as he started to pull the covers on his brother's bed up.

"Hey." the older Strider called as he stopped him. "You know, you do have your own bed."

"But I want to sleep here tonight." Dave pouted. "When was the last time you let me sleep with you Bro? Forever ago. Come on, just for tonight?"

"No. If I say yes to 'just tonight' you'll think it's okay to sneak into my room all the time and don't think I don't know that's what you were doing." Dirk lectured gently, knowing his little brother would start to pressure him into allowing him into his bed more often if he said yes just once. Dave was still just going through that stupid 'I'm in love with my brother' phase and he didn't want to encourage Dave into getting the wrong idea.

"Fine, fine. I'm going." Dave sighed with a roll of his red eyes as he stood from the other's bed to walk to the door. "Night Bro." he called back without turning to actually look at him.

"G'night Dave." Dirk returned the farewell as he laid his head on his pillow, listening to the soft click of his door closing. Dave would grow out of it sooner or later, he was sure of it. He was just having a harder time getting through it than he did. Everything would be fine… at least that's what he told himself.