A/N This is being posted immediately after Chapter 23 so make sure you don't accidentally miss the last chapter.

Friday, 27 November 2015

Cal knew, realistically, he would have to tell Ethan about the car accident he was in. For one, his car was smashed up. Definitely not something he could make an excuse for or explain like it was no big deal. It would need explaining tomorrow if not today, and Cal didn't want to do it tomorrow of all days. So with the power of deduction... it would have to be today.

Owh.

Ethan was having a (rare) good time right now. There were little slip ups when he forgot how to spell things or his hand shook too much to place the piece (Cal was quick to help him out anyway so it didn't really matter all that much), but he was having a good time all the same. His eyes lit up as he scored points, mischief added when he overtook Cal's score.

It was - strangely - beautiful. (But don't tell Ethan he said that.)

"There's something I haven't told you, Eth," Cal said carefully as he'd just achieved a double word score.

Ethan's look of deep concentration fell from his face in an instant, but he didn't look at Cal. He kept his eyes trained on the pieces on the board and, silently, placed down the word multiple. He picked out six more letters. Then he sat as still as he could, not looking up once from the board.

"Eth -"

"W-wri-t-te it d-dow-n."

"Ethan, please."

"M-my poi-nt-s. W-wr-ite t-them d-down."

Cal was the one shaking now, as opposed to Ethan. He wrote down Ethan's points, but didn't look at his own letters. He stared at his brother resolutely.

"Y-your t-tur-n."

Cal shook his head, a useless gesture considering Ethan wasn't looking at him. "Not until you listen to me."

"Y-yo-ur tur-n-n."

"For God's sake, Ethan!"

That made Ethan's head snap up, but Cal wasn't expecting the look Ethan gave him. It was fear. Ethan was scared.

"I d-don-'t w-want t-to k-kno-w."

"Huh?"

Ethan looked at him pleadingly. "P-plea-s-se, C-Cal. D-don't t-te-ll me. I-I do-n't w-wan-t t-to… to… h-h… he-ar s-some-th-ing b-bad."

In any other circumstance, Ethan would be dying (probably the wrong use of the word right now, but Cal didn't dwell on it) to hear anything Cal hadn't told him, because it was usually a mess Cal had gotten into and couldn't get out of. But now, it was understandable that Ethan wouldn't want to hear it. Not after everything.

Cal really should have expected it. And maybe not have started off with something that sounded so ominous.

"It's not bad… as such."

"Y-your t-tur-n-n."

Cal rolled his eyes at Ethan who scanned the Scrabble board and his own letters. Cal did the same himself, making a small noise of triumph as he overtook Ethan in points.

Ethan focused back on the game, and before he could protest anymore, Cal went right in.

"I was in a car accident."

Ethan made no response. Cal picked out some more letters, diminishing them to only a few left. The game was nearly up. Both Scrabble and his own.

"Ethan, I crashed my car."

Slowly and carefully, Ethan started laying out the word crisp.

"Ethan, please, just talk to me."

"D-did-n't w-wan-t to k-know," he said through gritted teeth, taking the last four letters and motioning for Cal to write down Ethan's points.

"Why though, Eth? Tell me why?"

The anger shone through in Ethan's eyes as he lifted his head to stare at his brother. It looked like he was going to say something. His lips moving slightly, face scrunching up. But then he took a deep breath and looked back down at the board.

"Nibbles -"

"Y-you d-don't-t g-get it. I do-n't w-wan-t to k-k-know b-bec-aus-se you a-are r-r-right h-here, ok-ay, w-with m-me. I do-n't w-want a-any-thin-g to ch-ange th-that."

Cal looked at him sympathetically. "Oh, Eth. Nothing will change it. You have me, you'll always have me! I just… needed to explain."

"N-no, y-you di-did-n't."

"I did, Eth… you'll understand soon. I promise. But, please, I want to- need to explain. You're my brother. I want to." He chuckled in spite of the situation. "If only because I don't have a car anymore."

Cal watched Ethan carefully. His chest expanded more. He took a deep breath. "O-ka-y th-en," he said without looking up. "I'll-ll l-list-en."

He nodded, preparing himself because he hadn't actually known what he was going to say. He stalled slightly, placing down the word bus. "Right... so I may have accidentally drove into a fallen tree." He could see, even though Ethan wasn't looking at him, his shocked face. Cal was quick to reassure him. "Barely hurt but, well... I was less than sober and, and upset and, well, the tree took quite a beating. And my car was completely smashed up. And I wanted to apologise. First because, well the car. And second because… Ethan I had chickened out of coming here. I wanted to but I was scared and I didn't and I'm sorry it took me so long -"

"Sh-hut up-p. I d-don't ca-re h-how lo-ng-g it t-took," Ethan said as he looked up.

"You say that…"

"B-bec-aus-se I m-mean i-it," he said forcefully. He looked back down at his own few letters and placed down another word. Cal was too focused on Ethan to bother with the game. "A-and wh-ile w-we-'re on th-the s-s-sub-ject-t, I-I h-have s-some-thin-n-ng I h-have-n't t-ol-d y-you. T-two th-ings-s ac-actuall-lly."

Okay, now Cal was apprehensive.

"F-first-t th-thin-g…" Ethan grinned, glancing to Cal's eyes. "L-love y-you, C-Cal."

Cal smiled. Funny how such a simple phrase could bring him so much peace. "And the second thing?"

Ethan's eyes held their mischief. "I w-win."