This fic was written in response to one of Gumnut-Logic's fics currently on Tumblr (as yet untitled). The part in italics comes directly from that fic.
Scott stood with his nose pressed against the glass of the kitchen door, eyes as wide as saucers, as his Grandpa took delivery of the new tractor. Beside him, seven-year-old Virgil was pretty much in the same position, only he had a small frown on his face.
Grant had needed a new tractor for some time, and he had been saving for a top-of-the-range one since acquiring the two neighbouring farms last year. His megafarm now needed the horsepower of a decent machine, and he had spent weeks researching the best one to buy.
With his grandsons help, of course.
He'd always bought John Deere, and their new Series 9 was particularly innovative. Plus, Virgil adored it – it was green. However, the latest Massey Ferguson also appealed, and Scott liked the shape, even though it wasn't in blue. It was red, his second-favourite.
Eventually, he got the Ferguson. And it was due to arrive today.
Their Grandma knew when the tractor arrived from the cheers coming from her two oldest grandchildren. She thought back to what her husband had said a few days earlier.
"Squirt has the makings of a mechanic, Sal. More interest in pulling the tractor apart than driving the thing."
She had replied, "Well, at least he won't be testing the tractor's speed limits like his brother"
"Nah, I reckon he'll be the one fixing it once Scott has finished with it"
As Sally watched the two she winced slightly as she considered the marks the two children were leaving on her pristine glass.
The first day that the tractor was in use she only saw her grandsons at mealtimes with Grant. And the rest of the week went just the same. And the next.
Scott had been delighted to be 'taught' how to drive. At eight (and a half) he was just tall enough to see over the steering wheel. There had been strict instructions that neither boy was allowed alone in the machine. Both promised.
The next day the two boys were nowhere to be found at lunchtime. Eventually Grant found them in the tractor shed, sitting on a hay bale. Staring at the machine.
Grant and Sally knew the boys would be taken with the tractor, but they had thought that the novelty would wear off quickly. Almost three weeks later and they were still as excited.
It came to a head three days later.
Lunch had been eaten as the usual speed, and Scott had asked permission to get the tractor ready for his grandpa. Knowing that he would be directly behind them, Grant said he could open the doors to the shed, and helped Sally clear the table.
Unfortunately, while clearing the table Grant tripped over one of boys' toys and dropped the dishes everywhere, cutting his hand on a piece of china. By the time Sally had everything cleaned up Grant had realised that the two boys had been on their own for far too long with that tractor.
As that thought occurred to him there came a faint crash from outside. The two adults looked at each other before rushing out, past the garden, out to the sheds where the equipment was kept.
There was a weaving trail of destruction leading from the tractor shed, past the hen house – which was now on its' side – and ending with the three-week-old tractor crashed up against the old stone wall.
Scott and Virgil were already beside the tractor, Virgil sitting on his brother's shoulders as he tried to look inside the engine casing. There was blood running down Scott's arm and leg, but the child was oblivious, concentrating on keeping his brother upright while he tried to fix whatever the problem was.
They both started guiltily when their grandparents called them, Scott turning them to face the running adults.
Grant picked Virgil up, who had a nice bruise already appearing on his cheek, while Sally checked Scott over. Both boys squirmed, hating the attention. Not even glancing over the tractor, they carried the boys over to the house and set about patching them up.
'What happened, Scott?' his grandpa asked, glancing over while Virgil made himself comfortable on his lap and watched his brother getting cleaned and patched.
'I was getting the tractor ready for you. I didn't mean to start it, Grandpa, I'm sorry. But Virgil can fix it.' Earnest blue eyes looked at him, and Grant glanced down to an equally earnest pair of brown eyes. Virgil was nodding enthusiastically.
He exchanged a glance with his wife and they both burst out laughing. Life with these two was never going to be dull, and they would miss them when Lucy came to collect them at the end of the week.