This story is inspired by World Octopus Day, and was given to me by my husband's prompt based on a news article.
Virgil put the paper down, a frown on his face. He just had to show this to Gordon, he would appreciate this! Where was his squid of a brother, anyway? Of course, where he could always be found when there were no rescues – swimming laps in the pool. He stood and watched Gordon plowing through the water, back and forth, for several minutes. He never ceased marvelling at how their brother moved so effortlessly.
Eventually Gordon slowed down, and in doing so noticed Virgil standing there watching him. It wasn't unusual for him to have an audience if he had injured himself, but he was absolutely fine, so he climbed out to find out what was going on. Virg handed him a towel and settled on one of the loungers, and after drying himself off, Gordon joined him.
'Have you seen the news recently?' his brother opened with. The news? It wasn't something that he usually followed, much to his father's general displeasure. He had always driven home the point that they needed to know what was going on in the world, but Gordon had never seen that point. Mainly because his world, at the time, was swimming. So he shook his head and Virgil passed the paper to him.
Gordon read the article with growing interest. By the time he had finished he was fairly bouncing with excitement. Virgil rolled his eyes. Only his youngest brothers could have been interested in this ridiculous article, and if he had thought that Gordon would take such a notion seriously, he might not have shown him. Virgil blamed Alan's bad influence. But, of course, sometimes they all forgot that Gordon had a serious side to him. The marine biologist in his brother was definitely coming to the fore, and with an article like that, how could it not? Virgil's eyebrows shot up as Gordon took off running back into the house.
Scott came out a couple of minutes later, a confused look on his face and a glance back the way he came. Spying Virgil spark out on a lounger, he pulled up the one beside him and sat down. Virgil opened one eye and looked at his big brother.
'See Gordon, did you?' he asked. Scott nodded.
'Uh huh. What lit his fire?' Virgil had the good grace to look slightly embarrassed.
'That would be me, I'm afraid. I showed him an article I thought he would find funny, but he took it really seriously and shot off indoors, where I assume he bumped into you.'
Scott grunted. 'Nearly bowled me over. What was the article about?'
Virgil opened his mouth to answer but didn't manage to get anything out before Gordon had charged back outside and was now standing in front of Scott.
'Scott, Scott, I gotta request to make.' Gordon was bouncing up and down on the spot, and Scott couldn't help but smile at the enthusiasm radiating from his most hyperactive brother. 'What it is, Gordon?' If anything, the bouncing became even faster.
'I want some time off please. I've got a sweet research gig lined up for a month, maybe six weeks, and I really want to do this! Please, Scott? Pleease? Pleeeaase!'
Scott laughed. Gordon rarely asked for time off – hell, none of them did really – and it wouldn't be the first time Gordon had gone off in Four for research.
'Ok, Gords, let's go inside, we can have a coffee and discuss this properly.'
Slinging his arm around his little brother, Scott led them both back inside the house as Virgil settled back. He was going to make the most of this break in rescues and relax.
