It's been a while seen I've written, well, anything, so this is really more for me than anyone else. Not that I'm gonna turn down any review anyone sends me. This is the first time I've written for LWD, though I've read many of the stories. This is a preholiday Lizwen fic. We'll see how I do.
Disclaimer: Not mine.
The Difference between Brothers
Or
The Prelude to the Return of WW111
In which there is a realization that the Younger are definitely smarter than the Older.
Edwin sighed, rubbing his forehead in agitation, leaning against the headboard of his bed. Another day nearly over and Edwin had retreated to his bedroom to escape the madness of the Venturi-McDonald household that had diminished in no way at all since the two oldest siblings had left for college nearly three months before. It was almost time for the Christmas holidays, which meant even more chaos as usual, with the family preparations for the holidays in full swing, including the return of the two oldest children of the clan.
It would be less than a week until Derek and Casey returned for the holidays. While Edwin was excited to see his older brother, he was also less than enthusiastic for the inevitable return of WW111 that was sure to come.
Derek and Casey still found it impossible to be in the same room for more than ten minutes without agitating each other. Edwin had yet to see the two honestly get along, and doubted they ever would. Unlike himself and Lizzie, who, though occasionally disagreed with each other, still could work things out. While Derek and Casey could never talk things over in a halfway calm and reasonable manner, ever.
The lanky teen reached over to the table at the side of his bed, and clicked on his stereo system. Slow jazz music began to play, the sound loud enough that Edwin could hear all the notes, but not so loud that parental's ears could get annoyed with. Leaning back against his headboard, Edwin found his thoughts drifting, specifically to the differences between himself and his brother.
Edwin was similar to Derek in many ways. They both had bottomless stomachs, sharing a taste for everything edible. They both liked watching sports, making bets, and winning.
But in others ways Edwin was very different from his older (and not necessarily wiser) brother. He wasn't into playing sports. He studied for his classes, and did most of his assignments. He didn't have the popularity of his brother either. He had his friends. With everyone else, he had mostly a 'live and let live' policy. He wasn't as competitive, not in sports, or with certain family members, and not with girls either.
For most of the past few months of high school, he didn't really date. He was not the ladies' man his brother had been. He went on the occasional date with one girl or the other but he avoided long-term dating. Not for lack of available candidates, as there were girls he could have dated for more than just a few weeks, even possibly longer. But he had other commitments, other responsibilities he focused himself on.
Mainly, of course, his (extended) family. A hint of a Venturi smirk appeared on the teen's face as Edwin's thoughts drifted the members of his family.
His overworked father, whose stress over a pregnant wife, two children away at college, and his work life, made him lose his focus on other, equally important things in his life. Edwin did his best to keep him grounded, joking with him about stuff on the news, reminding him of various meetings he needed to attend, occasionally drawing attention to himself or Lizzie or Marti, when the need arose. He did it mostly out of habit, but was always pleased when his father gave him appreciation for his habitual actions.
For Nora, his stepmother who was more like is real mother, whose pregnancy made her even more emotional that Edwin deemed possible, Edwin did his best to make things a little easier for her. He did little things, like clearing the table after supper without being asked, making sure Marti did her homework and kept mostly out of trouble, doing his shores with a minimal amount of grumbling. He found, almost by accident, that when he 'slipped' and called Nora "Mom", always seemed to make her day. But she was around a lot more than his real mother was anyway, so the transition was easy.
Little Marti, who was rapidly changing into not so little Marti, was both the easiest and most challenging to look out for, though he tried his best. When the two oldest had first left, Marti was without her Smerek for more than a few days at a time in her life. Edwin had no intention of trying to replace Derek as 'number one most awesome older brother ever!' as Marti had once called him (actually more than once, but who's counting). He just did his best to make sure that Marti knew that even without Smerek around, things were going to be ok. Sometimes, however, he felt as though the girl was humouring him. Marti had always been perceptive. Perhaps she knew Edwin missed their older brother as much as she did. Marti was smart that way.
Edwin smiled slightly as his stereo switched to a new song, an old love song that he had a liking for. The song changed just as the phone started ringing.
He made a move to get up, until he heard the shout of, "I'll get it!" from Lizzie. He reached over and turned down the volume to his music, but there were no shouts for his name, so he figured it wasn't for him, and settled back with a sigh, turning the music back up.
As per usual, the thoughts in his mind turned toward the member of his family who seemed to occupy his mind more and more in the past few months and a smile appeared on his face. Though this didn't really surprise him, as for what felt like years now, this particular person had been in the forefront of his mind nearly constantly. She's my stepsister and my best friend. I should think about her a lot! Edwin shook his head, preferring to be honest with himself; Lizzie McDonald was constantly in his thoughts most of the time because Edwin like-liked her. And maybe even more than just like.
A wry grin flicked across his face. Not as if that's an earthshaking revelation... He had known for a long time. Lizzie was his stepsister, his best friend, his partner in crime, and though she didn't know it (he hoped!!) the one who held his heart.
Edwin and Lizzie had been looking out for each other since nearly the beginning of the Venturi-McDonald family had started. At first, when the battle lines between Derek and Casey had been drawn, their respective younger siblings had been the go-betweens and the mediators, working between the older pair, against each other. Until, of course, they started talking to each other without being sided against each other.
That was when they found an ally in each other. Their loyalties had shifted from their respective older siblings, to themselves and to each other. Edwin and Lizzie figured out what that when they worked as a team, it wasn't one side of the family again the other. It was the two of them against whichever older sibling was attempting to order them around. Edwin liked to think his first 'adult-like' thoughts started in that period. He liked to think of the partnership between himself and Lizzie similar to that which his father shared with her mother.
Edwin grinned to himself as he remembered those few months when he and Lizzie first started to work together. Perspective helped him realize that their budding friendship had probably helped keep the family together. When Derek and Casey fought, they tended to bring the rest of the family into the arguments as well, bringing tensions between everyone to a boiling point. But when Edwin and Lizzie stopped taking sides, then the rest of the family cooled down as well, and soon the older pair had to learn to at least pretend to get along.
Now, it had been nearly five years since his father had married Nora, and the McDonalds had joined the Venturi household. Edwin mentally thanked his father every day for doing so.
"Knock knock!" A familiar voice called, followed by a tapping on the stairwell, pulling the teen from his thoughts.
Edwin grinned as he recognized the voice, sitting up and turning down his music as he answered, "Hey Liz! Come on in!"
Pushing open the door, a smiling Lizzie entered the bedroom, ducking her head to avoid the low ceiling by the door then straightening as she walked over to his desk chair. "Hey Ed. You disappeared after supper. Everything Ok?"
Crossing his legs and smiling at the girl, he said, "Oh yea, I'm fine. Just a little wiped after a long day, you know?"
They were both growing up. Edwin was reminded of this every time he looked at her. Lizzie was rapidly changing from a young girl who loved soccer and wore tomboy-ish clothing, to a fashionable young woman as every bit as confident as she was pretty. She was currently wearing skinny blue-jeans and a close fitting red long sleeved shirt, the coming Christmas season hinted at with a pair of tiny snowflake earrings and a matching necklace. Her hair hung down around her smiling face, and Edwin felt his heartbeat quicken as he was reminded of her beauty. Not an unusual occurrence, as he was constantly reminded this, but still.
He rubbed at his nose in annoyance as the girl nodded her head understandingly and seated herself at his desk.
"Ok Casey, I'll let mom know for you." Lizzie tried to resist rolling her eyes. Casey was calling; again, to complain about Derek, and remind her family that she still hadn't forgiven them for quote-unquote 'forcing me to share my apartment with the world's most obnoxious jerk!'
"Thanks Lizzie. I'm glad someone back home still loves me." Her sister answered, her voice growing to a shout, followed by laughter in the background, which meant Derek had just entered the room.
"No problem sis." Lizzie answered. She started to say more, when she realized her older sister was already arguing with her stepbrother, no long paying attention to the phone. Frowning at the phone when she realized she was no longer getting a response, the teen rolled her eyes, and clicked the phone off, letting a smirk flick across her face as she thought it'll be at least five minutes before she notices I'm gone. Oh Casey.
Setting the phone back in its charger, Lizzie rolled her eyes, then jumped a little when a voice asked, "Did Derek just walk in?"
Turning around with a grin, she responded, "Oh course. He walked in and she started yelling at him about fruitcake or something. Are those two ever going to learn to get along?"
Marti grinned at her older stepsister. "No way! Smerek and Casey are gonna keep fighting forever!"
Lizzie giggled with the younger girl for a moment, saying, "At least we know one thing will never change with those two!"
"No kidding. Well, I'm gonna go talk Daddy into letting me watch Drake and Josh." With that, the youngest Venturi (for another few months) skipped away.
Blinking in confusion after the girl, Lizzie smiled. Though she had never expected to be an older sister before her mother had remarried, she now had a vastly different life from that of the one before she met the Venturi family. And she was hugely grateful for it. The members of the Venturi clan had filled in the gaps in her life in ways she never even realized she was missing.
Walking up the stairs to her bedroom, she thought of how things had changed for her. In George, she now had a father, one who looked out for her, gave her miserable boy advice, and passed her the occasional twenty. With Derek she had an older brother, who was smart enough to know when not to bother any boys she was into, and big enough to ensure none of said boys tried anything foolish, and best of all play an occasional game of soccer during which it wasn't ridiculously easy to win. And with Marti she had a younger sister, who looked up to her for advice, share secrets she couldn't with Casey or Edwin, and practice girly-ness with.
Reaching the top of the stairs, she heard the familiar notes from one of her favourite songs playing from above her. Lizzie tried to ignore how her cheeks pinked as her thoughts turned to the very best thing that the Venturi family had brought her; her best friend, her partner in crime, and her secret crush, Edwin Venturi.
She shook her head ruefully as she started down the hall towards the attic bedroom door. It hardly made sense to her, how, despite how she had lived with the younger of the Venturi brothers during the disgusting junior high years, when his favourite hobbies including farting, burping, and trying to see how long he could do without a shower before someone noticed.
Despite this, Lizzie realized that now that they had joined the ranks of the high school crowd, she found herself attracted to her stepsibling. She had tried to deny it to herself, and spent the first two months of her high school life going through one disastrous date after another with different boys from school. To her initial dismay, even when her dates when reasonably well, she still found herself getting bored with her date, or comparing the boy to Edwin, or simply no longer being attracted to the guy after the first ten minutes had passed.
Finally, by the third month of high school, Lizzie resigned herself to her fate. The attraction she felt for Edwin hadn't gone away, and dating different boys was only making her annoyed with herself. She gave up looking for cute available guys in her grade, and started staying at home during the evenings again. She didn't even try to convince herself that she wasn't glad Edwin mostly avoided the dating scene since the school year had begun.
Reaching the teen's bedroom door, she knocked against the banister, calling out, "Knock knock!"
Edwin's cheerful voice immediately answered, "Hey Liz! Come on in!"
Pushing open the door, she strode into the room, ducking to avoid the low ceiling; she smiled to Edwin, who was lazing comfortably on his bed, a welcoming grin on his face. Walking over to his desk, she asked, "Hey Ed. You disappeared after supper. Everything Ok?"
Blinking at her question, the teen sat up, crossing his long legs to sit cross legged, a not entirely honest smile appearing on his face. "Oh yea, I'm fine. Just a little wiped after a long day, you know?"
Lizzie wanted to call him out on his little lie, and ask for the real reason he looked a little ragged, but let it drop, knowing he would tell her if it was really a serious issue. Shrugging a little to herself, she sat at his desk, absently picking up a stray pen as she nodded to him. Edwin nodded back a little, a half watchful expression on his face as he looked at her.
She glanced away from him, mentally cursing her betraying face, which was starting to redden again under his gaze. It didn't help that Edwin was no longer a skinny young boy, but was growing into a handsome young man. His hair was cut mostly short, but his bangs were still long enough to fall across his eyes, which always gave her a little thrill when they met hers. His limbs were still in the long, awkward stage, sprawling everywhere, but she knew from their occasion playful wrestling that he had a wiry strength in him.
" "So..." "They both started speaking at the same time, then stopped when they realized the other was speaking. Lizzie glanced back at Edwin, who gave her a grin, motioning with his hand to go on.
Smiling back at him she said, "Sorry. I was just wondering what you were thinking about. You're a little quiet tonight."
Shrugging a shoulder, he responded, "About our family actually. It's been over five years, and its cool how things have changed for all of us."
"That's an understatement!" She laughed, and they grinned at each other. Tilting her head a little, she asked, "Do you like how things worked out for all of us?"
Edwin blinked a few times, scratching his nose as he thought about the answer. Finally, he spoke, "Honestly? For the most part I am. Dad and Nora are happy together, Marti has female influence in her life, and Derek has grown up, a little, all thanks to the McDonalds." He nodded a little to himself. "For the most part, having you all with us has been a good thing."
Lizzie smiled, nodding in agreement, "Well, I'm glad my mom married George. I enjoy my life here in London so much more than I did back in Toronto."
"I'm glad to hear it." Edwin responded with a hint of a smirk appearing on his face. Then he docked his head, frowning slightly as he said, "Wait. For the most part? What is it that doesn't work?"
Lizzie's eyes widened for a moments, wildly thinking she was caught, before she regained her composure and grinned cheekily. "Come on, Edwin. You know what I'm thinking about."
They both smiled in understanding, before saying, " "Casey and Derek!" "
Laughing together, the two teens both glanced away, letting a beat base between them. Lizzie turned back to the lanky teen, her eyes still warm as she said, "What were you gonna say earlier?"
"Huh? Oh, I was just gonna asked who called." Edwin said, looking back to meet the brunette's eyes once again.
Lizzie broke her gaze away from his, rolling her eyes skywards as she said, "It was just Casey. Calling to complain about Derek. Again."
"Let me guess," Edwin said, "Then Derek came in, and they started yelling, and you hung up on her?"
She laughed. "Yep!"
"Big surprise!"
They chuckled together again, until Lizzie glanced away, trying to chase away her sudden shyness. Then she pushed herself to her feet, resolutely setting her shoulders, before striding across the room to sit on Edwin's bed.
Edwin's eyebrows rose on his face, as he watched his stepsister carefully. Most of the time when they hung out in each others' rooms, they avoided sitting on their beds. That was normally reserved for when they were having serious conversations, or when one or the other was especially upset. Cautiously he asked, "What's up Liz?"
Swallowing a little nervously, she asked, "Do you... do you think Derek and Casey are ever going to figure things out between themselves?"
"No." Seeing her face fall, Edwin smiled at her encouragingly, "Well, not unless they are hit by some kind of huge, earthshaking shock or something. Those two are going to remain clueless forever."
Giggling nervously, Lizzie glanced at him from under her eyelashes. Taking a deep breath she decided to take a risk. "Well then, what about us?"
"U-us?" Edwin couldn't keep himself from stuttering slightly, his heart starting to hammer in his chest. "Well, I've always like to think that we are smarter than those two."
A grin was starting to creep its way onto Lizzie's face. Her cheeks were reddening again, though this time she didn't mind. "So we don't need some sort of earth-shattering event to figure things out between us?"
"Well." Edwin gulped, his voice squeaking a little. Leaning forward, he brushed an errant strand of hair away from his best friends face, his knuckles brushing her cheek, "I like you Liz."
Her heart was fluttering in her chest. Her skin tingled from the touch of his hand. Taking another shaky breath, she reached out and took her best friend's hand in her own, whispering, "I like you too Ed."
A massive grin appearing on his face, he said, "Then what do you say? Up for going to the movies with me tomorrow?"
"I'd love to." She breathed, meeting his twinkling eyes, Lizzie said, "I knew we were smarter than those other two."
Laughing, Edwin pulled his best friend close for a hug, his massive happy grin matching hers.
And voila! I shall probably write another chapter for this story soon. Until then, thank you, and good night!
Lisette Smith