Build the Cities
Lemmy often asks Ludwig during midnight conversations what he remembers about the fire. The two of them frequently found themselves sharing a bed when night terrors kept them awake, finding comfort from the warmth of another.
The inquiry never fails to throw off his eldest brother. No matter what they had been talking about before, Ludwig immediately grows uncomfortable the moment Lemmy asks. Ludwig prefers to dodge the question completely, treating such a discussion as something taboo. Lemmy, though, feels it's a necessary topic to embrace if things are to get better. Although, the selfish part of Lemmy just wants to hear the unpleasant thoughts in his brother's head spill from his mouth. The constant mind reading game he must partake in with him grows tiring to play.
Ludwig always knows what Lemmy's attempting to do at this point, and begins building up his walls to keep him at bay before he gives away too much. Ludwig, the words smith that he is, tries to stealthily change subjects only to fall into silence when his persuasive tactics fail to hit their mark. Lemmy isn't easily fooled after all. So Ludwig does what he always does, letting his unspoken memories brew, internalizing his pain. Lemmy can almost hear the sentences dancing around in Ludwig's mind, imagining them said in his unintentionally cold tone. Lemmy isn't going to let these dark memories sit and rot forever. He hopes to begin tearing down these barriers using kind words, attempting to salvage what remains of his brother before the tragedy ripped it all away.
"I remember the sky."
Lemmy lays under the covers of the luxurious bed he's supposed to call his own, cloaked in darkness, answering his own question first. Ludwig makes no sound, but Lemmy feels him shuffling uncomfortably beside him.
"It was so dark and grey." Lemmy closes his eyes and can see it before him like he's there again, reliving it. "I kept wondering if it was going to rain."
Lemmy couldn't bring himself to watch the fire burn, exhausted by the adrenaline rush he experienced trying to get out of it. Instead, while he ran his claws through Iggy's hair as Iggy sobbed silently, his eyes turned towards the sky. He remembers the lack of a setting sun dying the evening sky a plethora of different shades of orange. It remained imprisoned beneath the somber grey of rain clouds yet to release a downpour. The forest of conifers set against the melancholy backdrop reminded him of a time when such a sight would excite him. He grew impatient when he spotted grey clouds rolling in the distance, anticipating the rain. When they finally arrived overhead, releasing fat raindrops that chilled the scales, he'd throw on his rain gear and gleefully splash in the muddy puddles with the younger children until his Mom dragged them all back inside for a hot bath and steaming cups of hot chocolate.
Even now, months after the fire, Lemmy finds the approaching of a storm a foreboding reminder of his inescapable past. Suddenly, he's harshly thrown back onto the grass, covered in scratches, the taste of smoke on his tongue, and waiting for what the world would throw at them next. He prefers to hide in his room, away from the familiar pitter patter of rain against the windows to keep these feelings from resurfacing and drowning him.
Lemmy clears his head, shaking away the haunting memories. Ludwig cannot find the courage to respond, probably fighting off his own demons residing in his mind. And, to Lemmy, that's okay for today. Eventually, he tells himself, eventually Ludwig will find the willpower to answer, to talk to him about what had occurred. Instead of allowing the tension to take root, Lemmy laughs like he's been told the funniest joke in the world.
"Did you hear what Larry did today? It was so hilarious!"
Like casting a spell, the atmosphere lightens exponentially. Ludwig, of course, is thankful for the shift, asking out of exasperation what Larry could have possibly done now. His recovery time is unnatural, almost as if Lemmy never prodded him at all. Even Lemmy can't bounce back as quickly as Ludwig can when those dark thoughts cloud his brain.
Lemmy begins a humorous over-exaggerating tale of Larry's misadventures causing both brothers to break out into a fit of uncontrollable chortles.
…
Mother Nature blesses the castle with good weather on a crisp Sunday morning. The perpetual darkness surrounding castletown is gone for the day and the mood of the dreary castle is lighter than unusual by the afternoon. Lemmy hears the cooking staff humming happily when he sneaks into the kitchen to grab a snack and the soldiers patrolling the halls have a bit of hop to their step as they transverse the halls.
Not one to waste away the day, Bowser suggests—demands—the children enjoy the day outside in the courtyard. It's here, surrounded by flowers and patches of green grass, that Wendy urges Lemmy to make her a princess crown. He concedes after withstanding four minutes of her huffing and stomping, promising her just that to appease her. He takes a seat in a spot of grass riddled with various wildflowers beside Bowser. Settled in Bowser's lap is the little prince, wide-eyed and staring up at the rarity of a blue sky filled with fluffy white clouds. There's a wonder in Junior's coal black eyes Lemmy yearns to feel once again.
Is Lemmy's childhood ruined forever or will this unexplainable feeling come to pass too?
Lemmy scolds himself for thinking something so dark on such a beautiful day.
Bowser acknowledges Lemmy with a brief twitch of his lips, a half-grin that broadens as Junior babbles loudly at no one in particular. When a ship flies by on a test run, shadowing the courtyard, Junior grows more excitable in his Father's lap, bouncing around and extending his arms upwards, almost as if hoping to pluck it from the sky. Somewhere far off Lemmy hears Iggy exclaim about the technological advancements the ship inside must hold and Roy lets out an appreciative whistle. Wendy sighs heavily under her breath, not impressed at all, growing more and more impatient as Lemmy dallies about enjoying the serenity of the day.
Lemmy supposes his sister has waited long enough. He begins to weave the flowers delicately like Dad had taught him. It's the one speciality of his that requires him to sit still, fingers moving in languid but precise motions. He's a bit rusty, sometimes his fingers fumble and mess with his creation. So he decides the first crown he weaves will be a test on how out of practice he is. He can feel Bowser's perplexed stare as the little crown begins taking shape. It's not Lemmy's best work, but the bundle of white daisies form an almost fairytale-like accessory fit for a mythical creature residing somewhere deep inside a forest. Lemmy sits up, legs a bit numb, and reaches out towards Bowser. He places the crown gently on Junior's tiny head and smiles down at the baby in his father's lap.
"A crown fit for a prince", Lemmy teasingly says to the baby, gently poking his chubby cheek with the tip of his claw.
Bowser guffaws, grin wide and Junior scrunches his face in confusion at the new sensation on his head, arms reaching upward to touch it. Lemmy momentarily thinks—as he watches Bowser engage in baby talk with his son, a smile still on his face—Bowser doesn't smile genuinely as much as he should. There's something inside Bowser that poisons him, seeping into smiles and reflecting the hidden sorrow in his eyes. Lemmy knows the King has suffered from loss too, but the wound isn't new or deep; it's a noticeable scar on his psyche yet to completely heal. Unlike them, he's had time to process his pain. Lemmy knows, somewhere down the line, he'll reach that level of acceptance too.
"Lemmy", Wendy pouts, having watched the exchange with a growing frown on her face. "What about me?"
"Don't worry, Wendy", he assures her. "That was just a practice run! I'll make one prettier than that! You're the princess after all."
Lemmy watches the pretty blue ribbon on her head catch the gentle afternoon breeze. It's a thoughtful gift from Bowser that Wendy wears with dignity despite the fact her favorite color is secretly pink. She only pretends blue is her favorite color because Iggy and Roy would most certainly tease their only sister about her predictable choice of pink. After all, Roy and Iggy are the type of Koopas to poke fun at others for a quick laugh.
Lemmy weaves Wendy a crown made of daisies and a few miscellaneous pink flowers she found in the garden for him. It's a steady process, Wendy can barely sit still as the crown nears its completion. Lemmy announces proudly to the world when it's finished, admiring his hard work while Wendy squeals excitedly. As gentle as a rambunctious five year old can be, she releases the giant ribbon on her head for him.
Lemmy pretends it's a prestigious occasion like he's crowning the very Queen of the Darklands. He stands tall, extending his arm towards her, crown dangling from his wrist. He bows with a flourish. She giggles, hiding a smile behind her hands, watching in amusement at his grandiose display of formality.
"For you, Princess Wendy."
She can barely contain herself when he sets it on her head. She's beaming brighter than the sun overhead when Bowser comments on the loveliness she alludes and even jokingly addresses her as "Her Majesty".
With Wendy now happy, Lemmy plops back down and scans the courtyard to see what his other siblings are up to. Roy is playfully chasing Larry around the courtyard, Larry barely out of Roy's reach. Roy, of course, could easily catch Larry if he wanted to, but then the game would be over before it began and tiring out Larry is key for bedtime. Larry squeals when Roy finally catches up to him, wrapping his big arms around the toddler and lifting him off the ground with a playful growl. Their laughter bounces off the walls encasing the courtyard and Lemmy finds himself smiling along to their game of tag. Lemmy spots Iggy studying the vegetation along the walls, hunched over to get a better look, a finger hooked under his chin. Morton hovers behind his big brother, mimicking Iggy's pose and nodding along when Iggy begins rattling off memorized facts about any plant he recognizes from Dad's old garden. Morton most likely doesn't understand a single thing, but Morton has a habit of following the other's around when he's feeling clingy and Iggy certainly doesn't mind having someone to talk to and a valid excuse to avoid Bowser.
Now, where is Ludwig?
Lemmy isn't surprised to find Ludwig sitting underneath the shade of a willow tree, book in his lap. Unlike the others, Ludwig prefers to sit in solitude. Even Iggy—who dislikes Bowser—is still hovering close enough to the pack for Lemmy to hear his rambling from his spot beside Bowser. Well, that won't do.
Lemmy hops to his feet, skipping over to his eldest brother with newfound purpose. Ludwig doesn't hear Lemmy approach because he's too enraptured by his book to take notice of his brother standing a few feet away. Lemmy's smile grows sly, sparked by his mischievous intent.
"What are you reading?"
Ludwig jumps, snapping the book closed. A flush burns Ludwig's face red and he looks like Larry when he's caught doing something he shouldn't be doing. Lemmy clears his throat to hide his giggles to save face. He folds his hands behind his back, leaning towards Ludwig with an easygoing smile plastered on his face. Lemmy's the very definition of innocence, but Ludwig's quirked brow says he doesn't believe his ruse at all.
"What are you reading?" Lemmy repeats himself, tilting his head curiously, feigning ignorance.
"Nothing you'd like", Ludwig answers too quickly and too defensively for Lemmy to not take notice. Lemmy hums in response, eying Ludwig skeptically. He isn't convinced in the slightest.
"Oh, really? Because I'd recognize that cover anywhere. I thought you hated when Dad read fairy tales."
Ludwig's bites his lip, gaze straying to Iggy. The middle child is too far away to hear in on the conversation. The list of excuses Lemmy knows Ludwig's trying to conjure up in his head are moot because if Iggy can't hear them; he won't be set off. Lemmy can see Ludwig's shoulders sag as he realizes he's trapped. Unlike a few nights ago, Lemmy isn't here to change subjects.
"I did say that." Ludwig admits. He can't look Lemmy in the eyes
Ludwig grips the book securely against his chest, almost as if it's a shield he's using to deflect Lemmy's innocuous query. Ludwig averts his gaze to the ground, glaring frustratingly at the grass beneath him instead of directing it towards his brother. One look at Lemmy would further give Ludwig away.
"Ludwig, Y'know it's okay to—" Lemmy begins to say only for a voice to call out to the pack of Koopas. Lemmy throws a glance over his shoulder to spot a figure adorned in blue standing by one of the entryways in the distance.
"C'mon, kiddos", Bowser bellows, addressing the whole group with Junior giggling in his arms as he's shifted into a different position. "Lunch time."
Lemmy hears Ludwig's sigh of relief under his breath.
"Maybe another time, Lemmy", he says, dusting himself off before sprinting eagerly towards the exit, book tucked under his arm.
Lemmy narrows his eyes.
This isn't over.
…
"I'm not mad at Iggy."
Lemmy sits on the cot of the infirmary, swinging his legs while he admits this to the others. Magnanimously, he forgives Iggy for attacking him, but one look at Roy's face twisting into a deep scowl tells Lemmy that Roy disagrees with his decision entirely. To further prove his displeasure at Lemmy's decision, Roy's arms are crossed tightly over his chest to enunciate his frustrations and poorly contained anger without verbally saying it. Roy wants to say something, but he won't start a fight just yet. Instead, he refuses to acknowledge Lemmy, staring loyally at the floor, glaring furiously at it as he rests his back casually against the white walls.
Ludwig, on the other hand, is the complete opposite of Roy. All Ludwig's undivided attention is directed towards Lemmy. He won't stop fussing over him. Lemmy finds he's steadily growing annoyed, constantly being poked and examined by an overbearing older brother. Lemmy hides his irritation behind a cheery disposition, smiling wide enough to hurt. He assures Ludwig he's fine until Ludwig finally gets the hint to back off. Ludwig outright ignores Lemmy insistent reassurance, resting his hands on Lemmy's cheeks and tilting his head left and right in the light. This is the third time he's grabbed Lemmy's face to examine it and the results are always the same; nothing is amiss on Lemmy's face. Ludwig is in a state of disbelief since the healing magic appears to have erased all signs of injury. Lemmy is a bit taken back himself, but shrugs it off as magic being—well, magical.
As Ludwig continues his inspection, Lemmy spots the younger children huddled on a cot together, giggling amongst themselves and sticking bandaids on their fingers. They have long since calmed down after Iggy's outburst thanks to the work of Kamek. His ability to subdue the children with gentle but honest words is as enchanting as his healing spells. Getting Morton to relax after being frightened stiff isn't an easy feat, but somehow Kamek managed to do just that with little help from the others. Speaking of the mage, he's sitting at a desk sifting through various papers while being stuck with babysitting duties until Bower's return. Once in a while, he'll look up to check on them, but for the most part; he's preoccupied.
Ludwig leans back with a heavy exhale, finally ready to accept reality for what it is. He gifts Lemmy back his personal space, no longer suffocating him. Lemmy lets out a relieved sigh at this, running his hands through his rainbow hair which snaps back up into place.
"Amazing", Ludwig breathes out. His eyes are blown wide. "It's like it never happened."
"Isn't that great", Roy snaps sarcastically, no longer able to keep himself silent. "Now he can beat on all of us without any consequences."
"You know he didn't mean it", Ludwig chides, directing an icy glare towards Roy. He places his hands on his hips, pointing an accusatory finger at Roy. "You just had to bring up Father."
Roy pushes himself off the wall, standing at his full height. It's an intimidation tactic he'd often use during recess to terrorize the other children mocking Lemmy. His appearance alone was enough to startle the physically smaller children into submission and frightened silence. Unfortunately, his playground techniques don't dissuade Ludwig from backing down. Roy takes notice, further angered by Ludwig's lack of a response. When all else fails, Lemmy knows Roy resorts to clipped words which he launches at Ludwig hoping to rile him up.
"It isn't my fault he flips out whenever we mention anything about our parents. You gotta stop babying Iggy! I can't keep biting my tongue for him. It's annoying!"
Roy is borderline shouting and Lemmy helplessly watches the heated exchange between his brothers, sparing his younger siblings a sympathetic glance. They've gone silent, frozen in their places as they wait for the brutal yelling to begin. Lemmy knows he must step in before it erupts into a full blown argument. He's suddenly exhausted by the thought of having to interfere. Why are they always at each other's throats? Don't they ever grow bored of fighting over the same things?
Ludwig snorts derisively, rolling his eyes. "I don't understand how it's so difficult for you to keep your mouth shut."
"Enough, both of you", Kamek intervenes, cutting their quarrel short. His appearance between the brother's is an instantaneous puff of smoke. Both of them are a bit dazed by Kamek's teleportation spell. They remain quiet, clogs in their minds turning to catch up.
Roy recovers faster than Ludwig does. He scoffs, spinning on his heels away from Ludwig, no longer interested. Roy approaches the younger siblings, the smile on his face an apparent facade. Roy jumpstarts a lively conversation amongst the group when he launches a joke at Wendy who puffs up with anger. The air clears, Lemmy hears Larry and Morton giggle as Wendy mockingly sticks out her tongue. Roy's ire is set aside for the time being, but Lemmy knows it'll return in full force eventually like an uncontrollable volcanic eruption. Lemmy just hopes Ludwig isn't in punching distance when that happens because Roy can be just as brutal as Iggy can be when he's upset. Ludwig watches Roy's tactical move with narrowed eyes, biting his bottom lip to hide his snarl.
Lemmy side-eyes his eldest brother, "You're avoiding it too. It's not just Iggy who won't talk about it."
Heavy silence follows. Ludwig's agitation immediately diminishes, morphing into consternation. His feral expression contorts into a grimace. He spares Lemmy only a brief look of painful betrayal before retreating to an empty cot like an injured animal. Kamek sends Lemmy a bewildered glance his way, brows raised high behind his frames. Though Lemmy can only assume; Kamek's bottle cap glasses hide his eyes mostly from view. Luckily, Lemmy's always been good at reading others; Dad would often say it's like he was reading minds. His guess is on the mark because Kamek clears his throat and regains his composure. Giving Lemmy a brief nod of acknowledgment—or is it approval?—before he returns behind the desk.
Part of Lemmy feels remorse for his words as he watches Ludwig twirl his thumbs, but Lemmy's tenacity easily douses the guilt. The more patient and understanding Lemmy is, the worst Ludwig is becoming. If Lemmy allows Ludwig to keep internalizing everything; then Ludwig will only become more reclusive.
After the fire, the distance between Lemmy and Ludwig was a small crack in the earth, easy to ignore as they fought to survive. Now, Lemmy stares down at a bottomless chasm wedging them apart. Helplessly, he watches Ludwig move further and further away from him. It's not as if Lemmy is asking Ludwig to share everything he's thinking; Lemmy is only asking for a small crumb on Ludwig's giant plate of personal problems.
Lemmy misses when Ludwig would confide to him about his worries. No, Lemmy thinks, he's not being entirely honest with himself. He just misses his older brother before the fire. Ludwig used to eagerly talk to anyone about his dreams of mastering the piano and how he'd confidently state to the world that one day he'd create memorable symphonies.
That Ludwig is gone. He hasn't touched a piano since then.
"Nah, I'm okay, but I know Lemmy has some boo-boo's you guys can help with", Lemmy overhears Roy say.
Curious, Lemmy turns to spot the three younger children approaching him with a box of bandaids in each of their hands. Lemmy soon finds himself being a patient for three bandaid-loving doctors. By the time Bowser is back with Iggy in tow, Lemmy is more bandaids than scales.
…
Lemmy wakes to the rumble of distant thunder. Immediately something feels off, his stomach churns uncomfortable. Whatever this something is, it's telling him to get up.
Not one to ignore his instincts, Lemmy blindly searches for the light switch connected to the ornate lamp sitting on the end table. He feels the cool beaded cord, giving it a firm yank. The blinding light causes him to wince, taking a second to adjust before he finds Morton curled into his side, sleeping peacefully. He doesn't know when Morton got here, but that's not what grabs his attention; it's the familiar sight of matted blue hair sitting on the edge of the bed.
"Ludwig?"
Lemmy finds his voice through the confusion and exhaustion, though it's quiet and hoarse. Ludwig flinches as thunder roars in the distance.
"It's just like the night of the fire", He chokes out.
The thunder mockingly rumbles it's affirmation. It's a teasing reminder to their first night homeless and alone. Huddled under the shelter of a tree, wet and cold, the shivering children watch as the storm shakes the branches and lights up the sky. No one could sleep that night. How could they? It suddenly makes sense why Ludwig would come here to escape from the unpleasant weather outside. Lemmy's room lacks windows; no flashes of lightning can startle Ludwig further and it mutes the thunder to a more bearable sound.
Lemmy blinks, astounded that Ludwig would admit something so vulnerable to him after weeks of carefully planned avoidance. What changed? Did Iggy's outburst show Ludwig the consequences of internalizing his pain? Did Lemmy finally get to him?
"You said you remember the sky", Ludwig croaks, rubbing at his swollen red eyes. "Well, I remember Mother's face before I abandoned her. I remember wondering where you and Iggy were and how relieved I was to see you both running outside before the house collapsed."
What is Ludwig talking about? Abandoning Mom? He's never mentioned this before. Lemmy wants to ask, he wants to know what Ludwig means, but he keeps his mouth closed because Ludwig isn't done. Ludwig exhales shakily, trying to find his voice again.
"Part of me still wonders what happened to Father. Where was he?" Ludwig mumbles the ending question more to himself. The thunder shakes the castle, he flinches and hugs himself tightly.
Lemmy swallows hard, blinking away his own tears at the resurface of haunting memories. Ludwig is unaware that Lemmy knows that answer. Only he and Iggy do. It's one of the reasons Lemmy believes Iggy is so broken now. Lemmy's lip quivers, he bites down on it to stop. That moment in particular still hurts. It hasn't stopped hurting. He decides Ludwig deserves to know because he's being honest with him. Lemmy opens his mouth, prepared to spill the truth about Dad when someone's tiny, lithe voice interrupts him.
"Is Luddy sad?"
Lemmy snaps his head in the direction of the new voice. Morton is awake, beady black irises staring at Ludwig, blinking away sleep. Ludwig sucks in air between his teeth, immediately turning away. Sifting his claws through his hair, Ludwig readjusts it to hide his face from view. Lemmy feels Ludwig slipping away, closing himself off again. No, not when Lemmy was so close! But what can he do? What can he say before Ludwig makes a hasty retreat?
Lemmy feels the mattress sink and shift as Morton throws back the covers and crawls to the edge of the bed. Without prompt, he throws his arms around Ludwig and squeezes. Ludwig instantly attempts to free himself, but his exhaustion weakens his resolve, and he gives in and sags against him.
"Morton, please", Ludwig almost begs. He's still desperately trying to hide his tears from Morton's view. "Let go of me."
"It's okay, Ludwig", Morton ignorantly replies. He doesn't listen to Ludwig's pleas to release him; if anything, Morton holds him a bit tighter. With Ludwig subdued, Lemmy takes this opportunity to scoot over to the pair and sets a comforting hand on Ludwig's arm. Ludwig looks at him, silent tears streaming down his face. It hurts to see, but Lemmy's finally relieved to see Ludwig expressing his sorrow. There's nothing wrong with crying over what they all lost.
Lemmy smiles sadly, his voice gentle and reassuring, "You don't have to keep pretending to be fine for us anymore. Morton's right; it's okay."
Ludwig searches Lemmy's face for something, but Lemmy can't decipher what it could possibly be. Whatever Ludwig finds causes him to crack. He breaks down into a barrage of poorly concealed tears. He wraps his arms tighter around little Morton despite his protests moments before for Morton to release him. The younger child simply allows Ludwig to use him as support, mimicking what Lemmy and Bowser do for him by patting Ludwig's blue shell and repeating the words 'it's okay' over and over again like the steady sound of a heartbeat.
Eventually, the tears subside and Ludwig grows quiet. Lemmy watches little Morton struggle to keep his body upright. He grows more exhausted with each passing minute and he yawns audibly. His arms loosen their hold on Ludwig, allowing the eldest child to gently break away. Morton makes a desperate noise, arms reaching out for Ludwig once more.
"I'm all better now, Morton. Thank you." Ludwig smiles, slowly lowering Morton's arms to his side. Ludwig's brief smile to their younger brother unintentionally sends a ping to Lemmy's heart. Ludwig looks so much like Dad in that moment Lemmy can't help but think of him.
Ludwig ungracefully hops off the bed as Lemmy chases away the pain clouding his heart. Is Ludwig really leaving after all this? Ludwig walks to the opposite side of the bed, past the direction of the door, and jumps under the covers at the front of the bed. He pats the empty spot by him, waiting. Morton gets the hint, sluggishly crawling back up the bed and cocoons himself in the covers with Ludwig's assistance. When he's properly tucked in, Morton snuggles into his eldest brother's side.
Morton passes out in minutes. Ludwig absentmindedly rubs Morton's nearly bald head. Lemmy joins them, returning to his spot before he woke up, squeezing right next to Ludwig despite how large the bed is.
Moments of silence slip by, Lemmy wonders if he should perhaps continue where he left off. Ludwig's inquiry about Dad missing during the fire is still bouncing around in Lemmy's head. He deserves to know the truth. Surprisingly, Ludwig breaks the silence first.
"I don't know how you do it", Ludwig whispers.
That's unexpected. Lemmy sits upright, using his elbows as support to look down at Ludwig.
"Do what?" He asks, confused by the abrupt statement.
Ludwig twists his mouth into a frown, brows furrowing and gaze glossed over. Lemmy recognizes this all too familiar look. Ludwig is contemplating; he always carefully plans out his words when the topic is more serious than casual.
"How do you always find an optimistic outlook on life?" Ludwig questions, he almost sounds envious. "Despite what we've been through, you're still able to smile."
"You know they're not always real smiles", Lemmy laughs dryly, plopping back against the pillows. "Some days I get so sad that I don't even want to get out of bed."
Lemmy stares up at the ceiling. His old room had glow-in-the-dark stars above him that even Ludwig enjoyed gazing up at. This room is empty and cold.
"I never really noticed", Ludwig admits after a brief moment of pondering.
"Ludwig", Lemmy says his name sternly, unamused. He turns his head to look at his brother. "That's because you've been ignoring me since we were asked to stay."
Ludwig hums in agreement, casting Lemmy an apologetic glance.
"I may have tried to further myself from you because of your persistent prodding, but I wasn't ready to talk about it."
"No", Ludwig's free hand rubs his forehead and he releases a heavy sigh. "I'm making excuses again. I didn't want to talk about it because I didn't want the others to see me cry like an infant."
Lemmy can tell Ludwig isn't telling him everything. There's something else Ludwig isn't saying, but Lemmy pretends to be blissfully ignorant. Ludwig has spilled more than enough of his agony for one night.
"It wasn't exactly subtle", Lemmy pouts instead, playing his part of being unaware. "I knew what you were doing."
"I apologize for—Oof."
Lemmy hits Ludwig in the face with a pillow, silencing his older brother.
"You don't have to apologize; just don't do it again or I'll hit you harder with this pillow next time", Lemmy mockingly threatens.
Ludwig scoffs, shoving the pillow off his face with his free hand, "Are you going to start carrying a pillow around with you now?"
Lemmy pauses for effect, pretending to contemplate such a silly idea.
"Maybe", he sing-songs.
Both brothers laugh. Morton momentarily stirs and they simultaneously stiffen and hold their breaths. Morton, thankfully, remains fast asleep.
Ludwig yawns quietly, rubbing at his red eyes.
"The storm seems to have calmed down", Ludwig whispers, sparing the top of Morton's head an affectionate glance of gratitude. "I think it's time to call it a night."
Lemmy nods in agreement, "Good night. Ludwig."
Lemmy stretches out his tiny arm and turns off the light. Except for the nightlight acting as a beacon beside the door, the room is coated in darkness. Ludwig is passed out the moment the room darkens, snoring softly. Lemmy, on the other hand, finds sleeping a more difficult task to achieve.
Instead of counting sheep, Lemmy closes his eyes, exhales heavily, and remembers the answer to Ludwig's question. Where was Dad during the fire?
Simple.
Dad was the one who broke down the door to Iggy and Morton's shared room as the flames licked painfully at Lemmy's scales. The one piece of wood keeping Lemmy from his brothers broken down so easily by their Dad's strength and size. As soon as the door was ripped off its hinges, Lemmy ran into the room and desperately grabbed at Iggy's hand.
When Lemmy realized Morton wasn't inside with Iggy, Lemmy's heart had dropped to the floor. Dad quickly reassured Lemmy that Morton was already safe outside with Roy and Wendy. The second youngest had a habit of alternating between the beds he slept in, he was probably with Roy when Dad found them.
Dad had ushered Iggy and Lemmy along towards the stairs, shielding them from the flames with his own body as they transversed hastily but carefully down the steps. Smoke filled Lemmy's lungs, he coughed sporadically and couldn't seem to catch his breath no matter how hard he tried. He never let go of Iggy's hand in his while they fought against the flames because he refused to lose his brother now.
Dad had successfully guided them to the living room without much trouble. The front door to the outside world a few feet away sat wide open, black smoke poured out the door. The fire was beginning to spread to the main room, but the path to the door was mostly safe from burning debris. Dad gave Lemmy a quick pat on his head.
"Go outside! I'll be back. I just have to get Ludwig", Dad shouted hurriedly, a reassuring smile on his face despite the circumstances. He always smiled when they needed it the most and Lemmy nodded mutely along, too stunned to respond.
It would be the last thing Dad would ever say to Lemmy. Lemmy wishes he had said more to him, turned around and yelled out an "I love you" before Dad spun towards the staircase.
Dad rushed towards the bottom step, preparing to make another trip upstairs. Before his hand could even touch the wooden railing, the ceiling above him let out a loud moan. Lemmy's eyes snapped upward, he watched helplessly as the ceiling collapsed on top of Dad. Iggy had screamed himself raw, desperately reaching out towards Dad now buried beneath the burning rumble. Lemmy acted first; the house wouldn't hold any longer and Iggy had lost all sense of critical thought. Running on autopilot, Lemmy dragged Iggy along towards the door, unable to look at where Dad once stood, smiling at his mere seconds ago. Lemmy's eyes burned from the heat as he struggled to hold in the tears he couldn't shed. He tried not to think about Ludwig's absence either because part of him wanted to go looking for him.
Relief and fresh air hit him at once.
Lemmy was relieved to find every sibling accounted for as he gasped in greedy intakes of air. He had wanted to run into Ludwig's arms, but could barely manage to keep Iggy from pulling them both back inside.
He remembers begging Iggy to stop yanking on his arm because it hurt. Iggy, overcome with grief, latched onto Lemmy and wailed. Unable to stand, Iggy dragged them both down to the grass as he bawled his eyes out.
There was nothing any of them could do as the house fell apart; their parents were gone.
Dad had tried to save Ludwig. Dad didn't know Ludwig was already outside with Larry.
How would Ludwig feel knowing Dad went looking for him? Guilty?
Lemmy turns on his side, facing away from his sleeping brothers. He uses his comforter as a tissue, wiping away his tears with the expensive fabric.
Lemmy decides then and there that he cannot tell Ludwig the truth about Dad. It'd stall the progress they've made tonight. Whatever unspoken guilt Ludwig holds in his heart would only worsen if Lemmy told him what happened. Lemmy can't lose his brother more than he already has. He can continue to hold in his pain to save Ludwig from unnecessary despair.
Sometimes things are just better left kept to yourself.
Eyelids heavy, Lemmy closes his eyes. Sleep finds Lemmy minutes after his decision.
This was supposed to be a Roy chapter, but 50 other ideas sprang to mind involving Lemmy and I kinda just went with it. He's a lot of fun to write about.
Will we ever see the legendary Roy chapter? Uh. Possibly. It may not be the next chapter either.
Anyways, thanks for all the reviews, favs, and follows! Reading reviews is good motivation.