Other people said Lukas was "different". The kids at school called him "creepy", the adults called him "special." They said that he was too quiet, that the way he talked to seemingly nothing was wierd, that there was something not quite right. They said that it was unfortunate that Emil had him as an older sibling.
They didn't say these things to his face, of course, but Emil learned from a young age that people only say their true feeling when you're not around. Emil had heard these sorts of things ever since he was in a crib, whispers of his older brother.
"Poor boy."
"Having an older brother like that must be hard on him."
"How fortunate he's not like the elder one."
"Little child, don't grow to resent your brother, no matter how hard it is."
Emil had heard these words over and over, to the point it sounded like gibberish. To start with, the words didn't make sense. Emil had nothing to dislike about his older brother. When Emil was rolling in his crib , lonely and bored, it was Lukas who would stand quietly nearby and show his younger brother pictures from a fantasy book. When Emil grew old enough to have his own room, and cried from the large emptiness in the dark, it was Lukas who offered comfort.
"Don't worry. I spoke to the trolls, they promised to keep you safe."
The brother who rarely spoke had whispered these words to Emil as he cried in his bed, and for that very reason, Emil believed him. He knew of trolls from the pictures his brother had shown him, and his older brother's face had always looked softer than normal when he showed those pictures. Emil knew that Lukas wasn't afraid of them. Lukas said they would keep him safe. Emil believed him. Instead he asked a hesitant question.
"Tomorrow too? And the day after?"
His older brother's lips tipped up slightly as he smoothed Emil's hair with a childish hand.
"Forever."
That's why Emil knew that the adults who said he was pitiful to have such an older brother were stupid, if nothing else, and that's why Emil had learned to ignore them.
No matter how uneasy he was, no matter how nervous, all he had to do was reach for his brother, and Lukas would take his hand in his.
Emil knew he was very lucky to have such a great older brother.