"Well this is not your fault
But if I'm without you
Then I will feel so small
And if you have to go
Well always know that you shine brighter than anyone does"
-Brighter by Paramore
"Susan! Su," a squeaky voice whispered hurriedly.
A small, brunette, four-year-old boy was pulling at his older sister's covers. His face was somewhat chubby and pale with minor freckles. The toddler, Edmund, scratched one of the feet of his blue footsy pajamas before attempting to wake Susan again.
Susan leaned over on her side and stared at her brother sleepily, "Ed? Whatdoyouwant?"
Edmund furrowed his brow trying to understand his sister's words before explaining, "I had another nightmare and I don't wanna wake up mommy. Plus Peter told me to go away…"
"Get in," the six-year-old sighed, and invited her brother into her bed.
"Just don't wake Lucy," Susan admonished.
Edmund nodded and curled into a small blur ball. Unfortunately for Susan, he took the blanket with him. So she shivered a little and tried to find sleep anyhow.
"Are you cold Suzie," Edmund asked, using the special name he had created for his older sister.
"A little bit," Susan whispered in reply.
Edmund unraveled himself and brought his sister under the covers apologetically, "I'm sorry Susan. Peter's right; I always mess everything up!"
"Shhh! That's not true. Peter just gets… mad easily. He's confusing," Susan replied. Her face was contorted in confusion from trying to think of the right way to explain their older brother.
"He doesn't like me much, though," Edmund retorted pessimistically.
"He loves you, Ed," Susan argued exasperatedly.
"Doesn't mean he has to like me," Edmund said dejectedly.
Lucy gurgled with laughter across the room. She was so very excited to hear Susan and Edmund's voices.
"You woke up Lucy," Susan scolded.
Edmund pouted again, "I'm sorry! I didn't mean to; I'll go away now. No one likes me anyways. Not you or Peter."
With that Edmund ran out of the room. Susan sighed in irritation at her overdramatic brother and lay on her back in her bed. He could sulk downstairs alone for all she cared. He was being a whiny little brat after all… Eventually Susan's conscience got the better of her and she ventured downstairs.
Edmund was sprawled out on the couch sniffling. He was so very upset with himself. Peter and even sweet, pretty Susan were cross with him. Oh he was such a bad little boy! Santa would surely be leaving him coal at Christmas.
"Come here Edmund," Susan whispered.
She had ambled down the stairs and sat on the arm of the couch until Edmund made space for her. Susan opened her arms for him. Wordlessly her crawled onto her lap and instinctively curled into a ball to keep warm and go to sleep.
"Goodnight Edmund," Susan said, breaking the comfortable silence.
Edmund was already fast asleep; Susan wrapped her arms around him tighter and kissed her brother's forehead before following him into a peaceful slumber.
Young Peter Pevensie stumbled down the stairs with his and Susan's blankets in one arm and a small teddy bear, Edmund Jr., in the other.
The eight year old clambered onto the sofa and the spread the blankets over the three siblings soundlessly. Peter tucked Edmund Jr. under Edmund's arm and wrapped his own arms protectively around both Susan and Edmund.
He fell asleep grinning at what he imagined Edmund's surprise would be like in the morning. That'd teach him to doubt Peter's affection for his brother.
Cute, no? I really like this one. But I also wrote it at two o'clock in the morning so if it may not flow too nicely that's most likely why. I kind of adore the toddler versions of Ed, Susan, and Peter. All I can imagine is Edmund's little smiling chubby four-year-old face and it makes me giddy from the cuteness.
Disclaimer: As usual I own absolutely ZIP except the plot. Oh, and this time I can claim rights to Edmund Jr.