Summary: Sister's thoughts on Grif's promotion.
(Originally written April 30th 2014)
Of course she had heard the good news, her big bro had become a captain! Woohoo! She was so proud of him, she knew he would become a big-shot one day. ('Take that, Dad!') She couldn't wait to tell her new friends all about all the cool stuff he got to do. They had all been army guys before and would probably love to reminisce about it. She thinks about telling South. She and the other girl got along pretty well even though the older girl was a bit high strung (It's just racing, South. Competitive much?'). Or maybe North would like to hear about him. That guy was the fatherly type after all, he'd probably enjoy a story about her big bro.
North was where he always was, sitting on the highest cliff, looking down past the clouds. Sister plopped down heavily beside him, humming a tune she couldn't quite remember the name of. Maybe Grif has sung it to her...
"Hey, North!" North didn't even jump, used to her over exuberance and tendency to talk louder than was normally socially acceptable.
"Hey, Kai. What's up?" North's smile always looked tired but Sister thought it was because he wasn't used to having to the weight of the world not dragging him down anymore. His eyes were always kind though and that was Sister's favorite part about him.
Sister positively beamed at him. "Grif made captain! Can you believe it! I wonder if they would have made me his co-captain? That would have been so great! Don't you think?"
North just nodded kindly at her. "Yeah, sounds like it would have been nice."
Sister leans back on her hands, feet dangling over the cliff. She feels like she could kick a cloud if she wanted to. The silence only lasts a second before she's sighing heavily and lays back all the way, her hands running through the tall grasses that cover the area. "Man, Grif gets to have all the fun. First he joins the army without me, and now he's gone off and gotten his own squad!"
North just looks over at her dramatically splayed out in the grass and snorts. "Don't pretend you're actually mad. Just a second ago you were saying how happy you were for him."
It's quiet for longer than North is used to when talking with Sister. North's just about to ask her what's wrong when she responds, sighing out her words like a puff of air. "Yeah, well, I can be happy for him and still miss his stupid face...I wish he was here."
North turns to face her at that, already reaching out a hand to comfort the younger girl. What he has to say is kind of harsh, but it's what she needs to hear. "Hey, Kai." He waits until she's sat up and turned her head to him before continuing. "I know you miss him but...just be careful what you wish for, okay? You don't want him here just yet." His eyes glance over as he says this. Sister thinks she sees South disappear down the hill before North is gesturing down below the cliff. "I think the clouds are clearing up."
Sister lays down on her stomach, her head peaking over the edge of the cliff as the last wisp of clouds filter by. She can see the rebel base, her brother's gold ('It's fucking orange!') armor glittering in the morning sun. She thinks they're going to try infiltrating the mess hall again. They make it past the dining area before an enraged cook chases them out with a whisk when she catches them trying to steal the pancakes she had been making for breakfast. Damn, Sister was sure they would have gotten them that time. By the time they've out run the cook she can tell her brother is laughing from where he and the rest of his squad have collapsed on the ground, his armored chest heaving as he tries to pull himself together and seem sort-of professional in front of his squad. Grif fails to hold in his laughter, however, when Lieutenant Bitters gets smacked in the face with a pancake one of the other soldiers managed to smuggle out and starts chasing the private around, shouting curses into the heavens. She can image Grif is about to start crying soon from all of the belly-laughing he's doing down there.
Sister smiles big and bright at the scene unfolding below her. Yeah, she thinks, she'll be more careful what she wishes for.
As the clouds cover the scene again she looks up towards the sky. Even though the sun is out they are so high up she can still see the stars twinkling down at her. One shoots by so fast she almost misses it but catches it just as it blinks out of the sky.
'I wish, I wish, with all my heart,
don't let this stupid fucking war
tear my brother the fuck apart.'
