AN: For Pokematic7. Thank you for the prompt! I might try this prompt again, since this ended up being rather heavy, and I could totally do something much cuter with this prompt. But, for now, this is what I have.
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They were sitting down at dinner one night, after Slaine had made something particularly fancy, when he felt it was the proper time to ask his younger brother, what he had already suspected.
The question, was how to go about it. Ideally, Slaine preferred to wait, and let Klancain tell him these things on his own, but it had been three months, and he had already waited patiently. Slaine was tired of waiting, he was the older brother, damnit. Not that it did much for him, since Klancain was an actual Cruhteo, and he was very much adopted, but still. He was older, and it was rightfully insulting that Klancain HADN'T told him yet. He was also positive that their mother knew, and he officially didn't.
The thought didn't make him seethe, but it made him want to. He angled an unassuming look over at Klancain, as he ate, and Slaine decided that if he was going to say it at all, he'd better just say it. "Klancain-" Blue eyes looked up at him with mild interest, and as usual, what Slaine was going to say died a violent death before reaching his lips. What he ended up saying instead, was not adequate at all. "H-how are you? Today? Uh..."
Klancain raised one eyebrow at him. "That didn't come out right, did it?"
Slaine glared at him, and resumed eating his dinner. He'd have to find another plan of attack. But, he reminded himself, he'd been dropping hints for weeks now, and Klancain had refused to take the hint and just admit it. "So how-" Klancain looked up at him again, and he flushed in indignation, before shoving another fork full of food into his mouth.
This was not fair. This was not fair at all. Slaine started mumbling to himself in irritation, when Klancain sighed dramatically, and rolled his eyes. "Slaine, what?"
The tone was far too similar to Mr. Cruhteo for Slaine to do much protesting, but that didn't mean he said what he meant either. "I-I Uh, I mean, Nothing- Ah Did you- I, well, as your b-"
"Slaine!"
"Did you knock up Asseylum!?" The second it was out of his mouth, it felt like every drop of blood in his body rushed to his head, and Slaine clamped both hands over his mouth. He watched Klancain in wide eyed horror, as a sudden blush came to his younger brother's face, and Slaine had to avert his eyes. They had! He knew it! Oh god he shouldn't have asked!
Then, Klancain was laughing, and Slaine looked up at him in abject horror, his hands falling away from his face, and going slack. "Klancain! Stop that this instant! This is not funny!" He banged his fist on the table to get Klancain's attention, but it didn't work. His younger brother just kept laughing. Slaine stood from his chair and stomped over to Klancain, his eyes heavy. "Klancain, you stop that right now!"
Around his wheezing, his younger brother waved his hands, trying to placate Slaine. "It-its not what you think, Slaine." He chuckled a few more times, trying to catch his breath, before turning to face Slaine, who was standing ominously beside him, his fists balled and obviously ready for a fight. Klancain still looked very amused. "No, no Slaine, I did not-" Klancain giggled- "knock up your best friend."
Slaine frowned down at Klancain, but he could slowly feel the tension easing out of him. In its place was the usual meekness that was the corner stone of his strange little existence. He had to get a few words in before that aggression was completely gone. "She's your girlfriend." It wasn't much of a statement, but he'd said it.
Klancain looked up at him, and smiled, and it was a kind smile. "She isn't pregnant."
Whatever hostility in him drained right out, and he was once again fidgeting and unable to look over at Klancain. "T-that baby book.." he said lamely, cause that had been the start of this whole thing. A cute little pastel book about babies and pregnancy, sitting on their coffee table three months ago. He'd looked at it in abject horror, and scurried away as fast as he could. It hadn't been there when he got back, but had instead found a permanent home in their hallway book case, where it's pink and blue spine had looked at him ominously every time he'd wandered past it. He'd taken to the habit of traveling the hallway with the lights off, but it only caused some painful incidents with his toes, because Klancain NEVER put anything away.
Klancain shook his head. "Mother. She's getting anxious for some grandchildren. Every time I talk to her, she rambles about how father didn't know what to do when he was my age, and how with my genes I need all the parenting help I can get. She mailed it here."
He thought about that for a few seconds, and realized he couldn't picture Mr. Cruhteo and mother ever actually having a child. Mr. Cruhteo was never around, and when he was, he was stern, and distant. Mother was better now, but he didn't remember her being very motherly earlier in his life, but he supposed she'd always carried that same glint in her eye that he saw in Klancain's all the time. "Oh" Slaine said, and dejectedly stumbled back to his chair to sit down.
He could feel Klancain's eyes on him, but Slaine's mind was somewhere far away. He looked down at his food, how he hadn't eaten very much, but really wasn't hungry anymore. "Slaine, is that why you've been asking about Asseylum so much lately? Did you really think I was going to have a baby?"
Slaine didn't trust himself to answer, so he shrugged one shoulder dismissively. He could tell that Klancain was looking at him, but he couldn't bring himself to look up at his younger brother. "Slaine, if Asseylum and I were going to have a baby, you would have been the first to know."
Slaine shook his head. "No, mother would. She should know first, she does want grandchildren." He reached down for his fork, and tried to eat some more. He was an adult now, so that meant he should eat, even if he didn't want to. Ironically, it also meant he didn't HAVE to eat, but he ignored that thought.
"Slaine," Klancain had that tone in his voice. The tone that said he was probably being irrational, and should stop. Well, it didn't really say that. If he was being honest, it probably meant Klancain was concerned, and didn't understand why he was unhappy, but Slaine wanted to be anything but honest at that moment.
He spared a glace in Klancain's direction, and gave what he hoped was a sheepish smile, before averting his eyes. "Sorry for jumping to conclusions."
"And?"
Slaine narrowed his eyes, and tried to make it look like he was pouting. "And for getting mad at you."
"And?"
Klancain needed to drop this. Just let the situation go, because he'd already apologized. "And for thinking that you wouldn't tell me."
"And?"
Slaine swallowed, his fingers suddenly tense, and his anger slowly coming back to him. He was actually proud that he kept his voice as even as he did. "For thinking that you'd knock up Asseylum."
"And?"
Slaine slammed his hands on the table, and stood. He was done with this game Klancain was playing. "And for thinking that if mother wanted a grandchild she'd come to me first since I'm two years older than you! As if I needed more reminding that I don't actually belong in this family." He caught one quick look at Klancain's surprised face, before it turned impassive, but that was alright. His feet were already pounding toward the door. He needed out and away.
Klancain didn't stop him.
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The library was his go to place when he was upset. There was something about rows and rows of books, of people coming and going, of things leaving, but being returned, that had always made libraries a place where he sought sanctuary. This had developed long before the Cruhteo had been added to his name, back when staying home meant his father stayed in his study, and didn't come out. The first place he'd always found, even before markets, when they'd move, had always been libraries.
But, that also meant that Klancain knew that's where he'd be, and Slaine did not want to be found. Even still, it was only half way to the library, that he realized he shouldn't go there. Instead he doubled back. and went to the aquarium. There was a nice bench by the jelly fish exhibits. It was dark, and the only light was the beautiful deep glow of the water and the brilliant light of the jellyfish. It was calming, and it was a Tuesday, so no one would be there. The thought of a nice place where he could just sit and listen to water, and watch deadly animals through thick glass as old couples wandered by hand in hand, was really quite nice.
That was, until he got to the aquarium, and realized he'd left his wallet, and all the money it contained.
He ended up going to the library anyway, but not the normal library. The library across town, because physical activity was good for him, and biking had always been a nice way to relieve stress. Annoyingly, he had just locked his bike in the bike rack, as Klancain's car drove up. He wanted to scream, but instead hurried into the library, where they'd at least get in trouble for their arguing.
He was already into the science fiction section when he heard the library doors open behind him, and he sped up without trying to show it. He saw the handmade paper sign that hung over the 'Quiet Reading Room' of the library, and dashed inside.
Slaine took a seat in a plush arm chair, and reached over to the small side table, where a few magazines and a romance novel sat. After looking over his choices, he angled a sideways glance at his brother through the glass of the room, and saw that Klancain had taken an opposing seat, glaring at him. Slaine scowled back, and grabbed the romance novel. He was going to be there for a while.
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Several hours later the librarians kicked them out at closing time. It had been many texts later on Klancain's part, which Slaine watched with amusement because he'd left his phone at home. Many very badly written chapters of romance later, because suffering through it was far more enjoyable than dealing with Klancain. Not that it mattered, cause once they'd been kicked out, they'd both cooled down enough to not yell at each other.
Klancain motioned towards his car, and Slaine nodded in resignation. He unlocked his bike, wheeled it over to the car and hoisted it onto the bike rack on the back. He then slipped into the passenger's seat, and they drove away in silence.
He wasn't angry or upset, and he could tell Klancain wasn't either, but that didn't make the situation any easier to deal with. Slaine made a point of looking out the window, and keeping the window down. Klancain preferred the windows to always be up, but in that instant, he didn't roll them up like he usually did. Slaine felt he should say thank you for that, but the words never made it to his lips.
On the way home, Klancain stopped off at a fast food place, and went through the drive through. Slaine let himself be spiteful that Klancain didn't even ask what he wanted, that was until Klancain just ordered everything he liked on the menu, without missing a single thing. It was way too much food, but it was a rather typical display of Cruhteo extravagance. Slaine also admitted that it was also a display of attentiveness. Klancain knew everything he'd ever liked at this dumb fast food place. He told himself not to be swayed, but it was too much work, especially when Klancain unceremoniously handed him an ice cream cone with crumpled up reeses sprinkled on top. He dutifully ate it, since it would be a waste not to.
"Dinner was delicious." Klancain stated simply, as the car sped back to the house. He thought he felt Klancain look over at him for a second, but when he gave his younger brother a sideways glance, Klancain was looking at the road.
Slaine continued to eat his ice cream, and shrugged. When the silence dragged out between them, and it became obvious Slaine wasn't going to say anything, Klancain spoke again. "I did the dishes." It was sort of an unspoken rule that Slaine did all of the house work. Not really ALL of it, but most of it. Cooking and dishes were two of the many things on his chore list.
"You didn't need to." Slaine stated lamely.
"We can talk to mother if you want."
"I don't want to." He knew he should have said something else, but as the statement escaped his lips, Slaine realized he didn't regret it. He regretted the sudden intake of breath that Klancain took, he regretted that he'd lost his temper and they were even having this discussion, but now that they were having this discussion, he wasn't going to take the statement back, or regret it. There was no way either of them were ever bringing this up with either of their parents.
They stayed in silence for a while. Slaine finished his ice cream, and moved onto munching on fries out of the bag in his lap. "Slaine, I can't fix them."
Slaine finished chewing the fry he was eating, and rolled up the window. "I know."
"You're my older brother." Klancain stated clearly, and looked over at him. Slaine was able to meet his eyes for a few seconds, before looking away.
Slaine smiled. "I know that too."