Theme: If You Thought The Head Trauma Was Bad...

Prompt: Concussion

No warnings! This isn't whump. Not even angst. Maybe a little bit. But mostly fluff and humour.

Peter let Chirp squeak on about his new mate, the blue jay flew beside him as he walked down the hallway, whistling softly. You couldn't blame him. It was such a beautiful and drama-less day. Those were rare in Narnia. But the peace was soon disrupted (how does one write stories without an unfavourable turn of events?) From the far end of the corridor came a horrible scream (of a dryad's) and Peter sprinted in its direction, Chirp still flying beside him. He reached the scene and it was not a pretty one.

There, head leaning against the wall, body limp, eyes closed, temple bleeding, lay his younger brother and fellow King—who had apparently gotten into trouble again. Big trouble. Peter, concerned for his brother, immediately was on his knees beside his brother. He let him lean against his chest and said, "Edmund?"

"Huh?" Edmund mumbled, fluttering his eyes.

"Oh! Oh! King Edmund isn't dead! He isn't dead, mates! Tell the dryads they can stop mourning now! Yes, yes!" With a flap of his wings, Chirp followed his mates to the gardens, gone to tell the dryads.

Edmund giggled. Peter frowned. "Ed?"

"I fe'l fun."

"Edmu—"

"—ny."

Peter sighed and forced his brother to bow his head. "Ow!" Tracing the back of his head, Peter frowned to feel a big lump.

"I think you've a concussion, Ed."

"Huh?"

"Su! Su!" came Lucy's voice and Susan put down her silver comb, satisfied that her hair was straight and not in a ravel. Her sister stood leaning against the doorframe, snickering, and playing with her golden curls.

"Lucy, are you quite alright? You seem—"

"I m't th' gen'lest man, Su. See? Gen'le-man. Gen'lest man. See?" Then Lucy's lower lip started trembling, and she sobbed. "M' head hu'ts! I hu't my head, Su!"

Susan walked to her sister and glanced where she was rubbing her head. That was a big lump!

"Su?"

"Yeah?"

"I th'nk I've a con…concu…concushion."

"It's concussion."

"Huh?"

"Come on, let's get you on the bed, Ed."

Edmund giggled again, curling into a ball as he was laid down. "Bed rh'mes with Ed!"

Peter turned him onto his back, making him groan. "It does, doesn't it? Now quick, your clothes are covered in blood."

"B'ood!" B'ood isn't good!"

"You're missing an 'l', Edmund."

"It's Buuuuud!

And Peter had successfully managed to distract him long enough to unbutton his shirt. "Yes, of course," Peter said, smiling. "Pull up your arms."

"But I don' wanna! It's too much work!"

Peter sighed and pinned his brother's arms above his head. "Hey!" But Peter merely helped him take off his shirt, frowning at the desperate struggles of his brother.

"If Susan saw you like that, she'd kill me."

"Whot?"

"You see; we have a pact…"

"You silly, silly girl! If Peter finds out you, his favourite sister, his little Lucy, has a concussion…Oh, of all the people…He's going to kill me…" Susan was muttering to herself as she rummaged through the wardrobe, looking for a nice dress that was not covered in mud. "I'm sure he's managed to keep Edmund out of trouble." She sighed, shutting the wardrobe. "I'm going to get some of your clothes. Mine are too big for you. You'll stay here?"

Lucy looked up, unwinding her fingers from her hair. She tilted her head. "Huh?"

"…so, she keeps Lu safe, and I keep you safe. I mean, I, of course, keep all three of you safe. And Narnia safe. Even Archenland now! I—"

"Peter, stop! I'm sleeeeeepy!" Edmund whined, falling onto the bed. He turned to his side, hazed eyes drooping.

Peter shook his brother. Edmund slapped his hand away, moaning. "No! No! Edmund, you'll stay awake until I can get you cleaned up, alright? I'll just go get some water and a salve—"

"But I'm sleeeeeepy!"

"I'll be right back. Promise."

And just as Susan was coming out of Lucy's room, Peter was dashing down the corridor, back to his brother. And fittingly, the eldest Pevensie siblings bumped into each other. Both hid the items they were carrying (Susan a nice dress and Peter a bowl of water and a salve) behind their backs. Both stuttered as they struggled to find the right excuses.

"I...uh...I was..."

"Chirp hurt his wing while flying!" Peter exclaimed, internally sighing.

"Oh," Susan said, her brows furrowing. "You better hurry then, and tell him I wish him a swift recovery! Off with you then! Go on!"

Susan shoved Peter forwards with one hand. And then was on her way, going as swift as a cat. "Susan!" Susan's breath caught. She gulped hard, turning. "How's Lu?"

"Good," she lied, quite nicely actually. "How's Ed?"

"Good," Peter repeated; he, too, was, of course, lying. And no, you shouldn't lie. Not more than three times a day. "He's training with Orieus right now." Oh, Peter, now you've got yourself a lie web. 'Good' would have sufficed. They both stared at each other for a moment, trying to read through. Then Susan jumped up.

"Right then. I'll be off. Take good care of Chirp!"

And when she was out of sight, Peter sighed.

"Seems you lost the bet, sire."

"AH!" Peter screamed, startled. He jumped back, free hand on the hilt of his sword. He blinked. "Mr. Tumnus."

"You lost the bet."

Peter smiled. "Not if she doesn't find out."

Mr. Tumnus smiled back. "Trouble finds your brother."

"No, my brother finds trouble. If you could keep between us, Mr. Tumnus, I'd appreciate it."

Mr. Tumnus opened his umbrella and stomped his hooves. Then he turned, ready to leave through the courtyard he was facing. "Children shouldn't lie," he said, and then was gone.

Gone before Peter could reply, "I'm not a child! I'm nineteen!

"Look at this, Su!" Lucy said as Susan shut the door, and then leaned against it, bumping her head twice on its surface. Then she turned to her sister. She blinked.

"Lucy…is that a…spider…on…your hair?"

"I don't know! But it has six legs!"

And Susan screamed.

"Get out."

"What?"

"Get out this instant. Get out. Get out."

"That's rude, King Peter. I was merely worried. He is my consort."

"Your what? He's fifteen!"

"Sixteen!" Edmund protested from the bed, pouting.

"He's fifteen!" Peter repeated, setting down the salve and bowl of water on the bedside stand. "He's fifteen and you're my age!"

The dark-skinned Tarkheena smiled, her whitest teeth flashing. She sat down beside Edmund who was currently convinced that he had eleven fingers. Edmund looked around four times before he finally found the owner of the hand on his shoulder. "Oh, hey! Ooooh!" he said, playing with her golden earring.

"See? He likes me."

Peter smiled, licking his lips, then looked down at his feet, and looked up again, still smiling, though the smile wasn't a very nice one. Then he barked, "GET OUT!"

"Did you hear that, Lu?"

Lucy looked up from her dress and said, "Whot?"

"Nothing, darling. Come now, you must sleep," Susan said, pulling up the covers, so Lucy could climb under. She did so. And Susan smiled that she was tucking her sister in for bed.

"Mum wasn't here! And I got scared!"

The thunder boomed again, and Lucy snuggled closer to her big sister. Susan stroked her pretty, short hair. "It's alright. Sleep, Lu. I'll keep you safe."

When Lucy finally fell asleep, Susan stretched her arms and stood up. She needed a cup of tea.

"Do ya reme'ber, Petah? Mum brough' me h'me fr'm the infirmary…"

"What? No…"

"I reme'ber! I reme'ber seeing you and your tiny nose and thinking that I love ya!"

"Really?" Peter asked, genuine hope shining in blue eyes.

"No," Edmund laughed. Peter's shoulders slumped and he frowned. "No, you don't 'ave a tiny nose! You 'ave a really pretty nose."

"Alright, Ed. Go to sleep," Peter said, tucking his brother in, stroking his dark hair.

"Then my 'ead won't hu't?"

Peter kissed his hair. "Promise it won't."

"Peter?"

"Yeah?"

"Why'd ya send the pretty lady away? She was r'lly pretty!" Then he yawned a really big yawn.

"Sleep, Edmund," Peter said, falling into his chair beside the hearth. "And don't tell Susan you hurt yourself, okay?"

Edmund smiled and right before drifting off, he said, "I won't."

When Edmund finally fell asleep, Peter stretched his arms and stood up. He needed a cup of tea.

"Busy day?" Peter asked, stirring his tea.

"Don't ask," replied Susan, sipping her tea.

Peter sat beside his sister on the couch. "It's hard, isn't it? Being the older ones?"

"And we're never appreciated!"

"I hear you. Com'ere," Peter said, pulling his sister close.

"Edmund got hurt, didn't he?"

"Lucy got hurt, didn't she?"

They both stared at each other.

"How do you know?"

"How do you know?"

Peter smiled. "Ran into Mrs. Beaver on the way. She told me what happened. She said Lucy fell and hit a rock while chasing a rabbit. Not a talking one."

Now it was Susan turn to smile. "I found Chirp. He…he said…he said you resurrected Edmund. Then Orieus told me he'd hit his head, running away from the Tarkheena."

"I'm going to kill her!" Peter growled, sipping his tea in attempt to calm his nerves.

Susan laughed. "You put him to bed?"

"Or I wouldn't be here, having a nice cup of tea with my favourite sister," Peter said, raising his cup.

"Right," Susan breathed, smiling. "Finally got some time in peace."

"Peter, I'm cold!"

"Su, I lost my blanket!"

The eldest two sighed. "I'll see you tomorrow then?"

"Sure," Peter replied, putting down his cup next to Susan's on the glass table. The fire roared as they both hurried out. And then both hurried back.

"Taking the tea with?" Susan asked.

"Definitely."

Fin

Author's note: For all of you older siblings out there! I can't say I know the struggle since I am an only child. But I've heard stories!

Response to P: These siblings might just be my favourite! Hope you liked this!

With love,

~Pacifia