Chapter 4: Because We're Real Brothers (4)
(Sorry for such the long wait. I had a major writer's block and I simply didn't know how to put this chapter together but I did it! And number five is coming on the way! I think you guys will REALLY like this one ;3
Oh, and I just realized that this story is put under the character "Russia" and I haven't really put Russia in the chapters at all. Well, I know this will kill it, but he DOES come in and is a huge part of the story, but later! Patience my readers~ XD)
"You want that one?"
"Yes, I do~ Is there something wrong with it? Isn't it your art work to begin with anyway?" I was a bit stunned at the owner's reaction as I set down the little figure on the counter.
"No, no, it's fine. It's just…I haven't sold that in six years. From every shop that I owned before this one, everyone has skimmed across the shelves, stared at it for a few seconds then skipped it. Everyone says its too depressing or too sad looking. People want things that will cheer them up or lift their spirits, you know?" The owner said.
"Oh, I see. Well, you must be happy someone finally bought it!" I began to chuckle.
"No, I'm actually sad to see it go. I'm sad to see any of my art go. I won't ever see it again. Not even if I try to recreate it, every stroke will be different." He sighed out looking at the statue. "Tragic really, but I have to make a living some how."
He grabbed the small statue without taking another glance at it and put it in a white box with tissue to secure it.
I stared at his hands as he put it into the box, "I know what you mean. After I draw something, a week or two later, I'll hate it or find all of the flukes in it and throw it away. When I do find myself not liking it anymore, I get pretty sad that I don't like it anymore because I know that at one point, I was very confident in it."
He blinked at me, "You THROW your art away just like that?"
I nodded, "Yeah. I just can't look at it anymore after I've come to dislike it or I find it as useless baggage."
He raised his eyebrows as he put the cash I had given him in the cash register and handed me the box in the bag with the shop's logo on it. I thanked him and began to walk away when he called my attention.
"Hey, you! Young man! Wait for a second while I get my assistant to get on the cash register! I have to show you something." He spoke loudly for me to hear him.
"Uh….O-okay. S-Sure." I hesitantly answered not knowing how to reply to the 'mister'.
"Wanna bet he's a pervert?" Gilbert asked studying the owner from where he stood.
"WHAT? How is that man a pervert?" I questioned in disbelief. "He just said that he wanted to show us something! Besides he thinks I'm a boy!"
"He said that he wanted to show YOU something. For all we know it could be that pervert's sausage AND he's probably a sadistic pedobear luring kids with his "ART". What a kinky bastard." Gilbert spat disgusted and scrunching his nose at the shop owner.
I pinched the bridge of my nose narrowing my eyes in frustration. The last thing I would have ever thought to come out of Gilbert's mouth was that this man was a pervert who wanted to "lure" me (apparently a high school boy in the owner's eyes) into the back and rape me. That's nice. I sighed out and nudged him with my elbow in the side as Gilbert began to mutter to himself all these weird "stranger-danger" thoughts.
"Shut. Up. He could here you! I hardly call that muttering!" I spoke a bit harshly under my breath as the owner approached us. Then the owner stopped to say hello to an old woman who had just come in the door. An old friend I would guess or maybe a regular at the store.
"Oh man. Look at that guy. He has creepy and weird written all over him." Gilbert huffed.
I gave Gilbert the evil eye and curled my hand into a steady fist. Gilbert jolted holding his hands up as to not be hurt.
"Okay! Okay! I'll shut up, jeez!"
"Good. Now be polite." I huffed as the owner greeted us with a good handshake.
"I'm so sorry I seemed so mysterious before. Let me introduce my self. I am Constanar Sweaden (No, this isn't Sweden XD)." Constanar smiled at us humbly waiting for our names.
"It's very nice to meet you Constanar. My name is Rowan and this is my friend Gilbert." I smiled back and directed Mr. Sweaden's attention to Gilbert.
Mr. Sweaden bowed his head slightly in acknowledgement then with a small wave in the direction of a door at the back of the store we followed him. When he had opened the door it was pitch black and then Mr. Sweaden flicked the switch and the lights slowly came on revealing tables of statues and charms. At first, we couldn't tell what was going on until Gilbert noticed that each statue or charm had mistakes or there was something funny looking about how each was painted, sculpted, stitched or formed in any other way.
"Are these all art pieces that have mistakes on them?" Asked Gilbert as he bent over to look at a few.
"Yes they are. Some are actually unfinished. I just hated them so much I just couldn't finish them like I had originally wanted and I put them in here." The voice of Mr. Sweaden echoed as he spoke. It was a bit cold in the room, unlike the main store and the floors and walls were made of concrete or something that would make voices echo even though the room wasn't big. I began to cling to Gilbert's arm and he blinked at me before letting me be and continuing to look at all the statues unfinished and weird looking; some where actually creepy looking because of their abandonment.
"What was the point of you bringing us in here to show us all of these?" Gilbert's voice echoed.
There was a moment of silence before Mr. Sweaden spoke out, "Because, your little friend there, says he throws away all the art that he doesn't like anymore."
I gulped and Gilbert sighed out heavily knowing that we were now in for a lecture of some kind. Knowing Gilbert, he's too "manly" to be given crap. What makes it even worse is that I opened my big mouth and said something. I'll NEVER hear the end of it from Gil. Dammit.
"Look, son…" Mr. Sweaden began to say in my directions, "I beg you not to throw away your art. You can recycle your art and redo the idea that didn't work so well the first time! Just don't throw it away."
He patted my shoulder and put in my hand what looked to be some sort of mouse but then again it looked like a weird rock on a stick.
"I did that when I was about your age. Please, keep it as a reminder never to throw away your art as an aspiring artist."
I blinked at him and nodded slowly, "O-okay. O-of course… I-I'll try my best n-not to. I p-promise." I was still shocked and all of this was way too weird.
I most likely wont ever want to throw away my art now. I'll feel way to guilty to. Jeez…..I'm just doing everything wrong aren't I? I thanked Mr. Sweaden and promised that I'd be back again soon and took all of my new stuff out of the store and then both Gilbert and I ran straight back to the car not wanting to be near the store anymore. We were just a bit awkwarded-out. Is that even a word? I don't really know. Hnn~
"You just had to open your big mouth! God! The last thing I wanted to do this weekend was become the victim of a lecture!" Gilbert shouted a bit out of breath from running so fast.
I huffed a bit, "It's not my fault! It just came out! How was I supposed to know he was going to lecture us?"
I sighed out knowing Mr. Sweaden was just trying to steer me in the right direction before something happened that I would regret, but for the moment, Gilbert and I felt PRETTY WEIRD. We stayed by the car nervous to go back to the store when finally we saw Ludwig and Feli walk out. Feli seemed to be curiously looking at Ludwig as he held a bag. Feli kept trying to look into it but Ludwig would bonk him on the head and scold him. I wonder what it could have been that Ludwig was "hiding". I shrugged it off though, I was already nosey enough, and it really isn't any of my business but if I had to say something. Ten bucks says it's for Feliciano.
"Why did you leave us like that?" Ludwig questioned a bit upset and found it quite rude that we didn't even bother telling them we had left.
"Well the owner of the stor-." I began to say only to be cut off by Gilbert.
"That pervert owner took us to the back of the store to show us all these creepy statues and then gave us a lecture!" Gilbert spoke angrily and a bit hyped up on adrenaline.
"Brother…calm down please. I probably should have never asked in the first place, but can we just forget about it and go have that gelato we've wanted all afternoon without you two getting into any more trouble?" Ludwig spoke patiently.
I gasped, "Yeah! I want gelato now! I want gelato!"
Gilbert high-fived me and we ran down the street straight for the gelato place. Ludwig and Feli followed promptly like they always did. We had all gotten double scoops of gelato except for Ludwig who needed to maintain being fit. I had gotten two pistachios, Gilbert got vanilla and strawberry, and Feli got coffee and caramel swirl vanilla cream, and Ludwig got chocolate nut. We were all happily eating our gelato and by the time we got to the car Feli had eaten almost all of his and was now sad.
Ludwig rolled his eyes, "You can have some of mine after your done, Feliciano."
Feli looked up at him happily, "Wha-? Really? Yaay!"
I laughed and continued to lick my gelato. Gilbert looked at his gelato and then looked up at the rest of us.
"Well, I guess this is were we part ways. I'll see you guys later." He said a little crabby knowing that our day was already over.
I smiled, "Part ways? I thought we were going to my house to hang out!"
"We were?" Ludwig questioned now very puzzled.
"Yeah! I thought we were!" Feli looked up at Ludwig. "Come on Ludwig! Don't you remember?"
I laughed again and Feli had winked at me. Gilbert blinked and scratched his head.
"O-oh? …..Alright. I guess I could hang at your place if everyone's down with it." Gilbert confusedly answered.
"GREAT! I call going on the motorcycle with Gilbert!" I shouted raising my hand as if volunteering.
Ludwig nodded, "Okay, I guess it's settled. Feliciano and I will go in the car and Gilbert and Rowan will go on the motorcycle."
I jumped up and did a bunch of crappy ninja moves out of excitement.
Gilbert laughed, "Man! You suck so badly at those moves! It's like this!"
Gilbert began to do ninja moves as well that were just as bad as mine. Both Feliciano and Ludwig sighed out walking away and ignoring us. I rolled my eyes with a smile and waved to them as they got in the car and drove away. So now it was only Gilbert and I.
"So~ Where's the motor?" I asked licking my gelato.
"Oh, it's that way. Come on." He said and used a head gesture in the direction of where he parked his ride.
I wrapped my arm around his and continued to eat my gelato. Gilbert ate his to and then looked at me. I looked at him.
"What do you want?" I gave him the stink eye playfully.
"I want some pistachio bitch~!" He laughed.
I rolled my eyes and held up my cone to him as he gummed some gelato off the side.
"Ah~ Delicious! I love pistachio." He smiled wide.
I opened my mouth, "Ah! I want some of that there strawberry and vanilla, boy!"
"Haha! Sure, sure." He leaned his cone over to me laughing.
I gave the cone a lick then licked my lips smiling wide finding the flavor awesomely delicious. I didn't want to lick my pistachio for a good long while not wanting to have the vanilla and strawberry taste go away but my gelato was melting so I had to kiss the vanilla and fruitiness goodbye and eat my pistachio again. Pistachio was still awesome though. Eating my pistachio away I had thought of something that made me just want to ask in the spur of the silence.
"Hey, Gilbert?" I looked up at him, eating my pistachio and thinking about how Gilbert and I share a lot of things like ice cream, or drinks and stuff.
"Yeah?" He spoke looking at me.
"How come we share all the time and hang out a lot? You and Ludwig don't really share at all or even act like brothers sometimes and you ARE brothers. I mean, we act more like brother then you and Ludwig. How come?" I asked.
He laughed and ruffled my hair like a big brother would to his twerpy, small little bother, "Because…we're REAL bros."
I blinked at him then suddenly smiled and laughed, "I knew it!"
I looked back to the sidewalk in front of me and we finally came to a stop at the motorcycle. I had noticed the new paint job it was given and stared at it curiously. It was decorated with a checkered blood red and midnight black pattern with a 50's design of a sailor girl. Boy, did she have some major bust on both sides of her. She waved a white flag as she lay on her back and her solid yellow hair flowed across in all directions near her head. She was colored like they had in all those comic books from the early 70's and late 60's. I finished my gelato and got onto the back of the bike.
"Let's go! Let's go!" I bounced and pouted waiting for Gilbert to finish his ice cream. He hurried to scarf it down but he ended up tossing it in the trash and wiping his hands on his jeans before hopping on the bike. I passed him his helmet and then put my own on.
"CHARGE! LET'S GO! Ludwig and Feli will beat us to my house!" I shouted wrapping my arms around Gilbert's torso.
"When was this a race?" He asked pushing and turning his key into the motorcycle and it practicality coming to life right under our bottoms.
"Shh~ Don't ask questions! Just moooovvveee~" I laughed and tried to push the bike with my feet forward, which didn't really do anything.
"Alright, Alright. Sheesh~" He rolled his eyes and zoomed off along the street. I shut my eyes and tried not to freak out every time Gilbert took a rough or unexpected turn. I wasn't use to motorcycles and Gilbert was a bit reckless when behind the wheel and driving in general. I really like motorcycles though. If I could have one I would get one, but my parents think I don't need a vehicle just yet so I have to stick with my bike for another year or so.
"Hey! Are we almost there?" I had to yell just so Gilbert could hear me.
"Huh? What? Oh! Yeah! We're almost there! Hold tight all right? We're about to pass a car and it'll be a tight squeeze! I'll slow down." He yelled back.
He slowed down a lot just for a safety reasons. He could be smart sometimes about these things. Haha~ Oh, gosh. As we passed the car Gilbert laughed and stuck out the middle finger. I gasped.
"Why are flipping people off? That's rude!" I yelled at him and pinched the skin on his stomach.
"Gah! Don't do that you twerp! It wasn't just anybody! It was Ludwig and Feli!" Gilbert yelled back trying to justify himself.
"I-It was?" I gapped and looked back squinting so I could see the car.
It really was Ludwig and Feli. I began to laugh and then when I had stopped laughing I frowned.
"GILBERT!" I shook him.
He didn't hear me. I gulped and shook him again.
"GILBERT!" I yelled louder.
"What? What? What's the matter?" He peered at me for a second.
"They're gaining!"
"Gaining?" He jolted slightly and looked back to see that the car was now speeding up and trying to catch up to us. "Fuck all types of duck! They are! Those fuckbaskets!" Gilbert growled with a competitive and cocky smile.
He pushed down on the petal and he zoomed even faster leaving a trail of whirling dust from the dirt road. The car was now speeding as well and it was right on our tail. We probably would have been able to go faster but on a dirt road you could only go so fast before you realize that you don't have control over your own bike anymore. The car was now right next to us and Feli pulled down the window.
"Is that all you guys got? My grandmamma can go faster then you!" Feli laughed then stuck his tongue out at us.
I narrowed my eyes and looked at Gilbert, "GILBERT!"
"What is it now?" Gilbert spoke lowering himself to try and go even faster without having to use pressure on the pedal too much.
"CRUSH THOSE WEENIES." I growled determined to serve these dorks up on a silver platter with cilantro.
"Crush them? Are you sure about that?" Gilbert spoke unsure of what to do.
"Yeah! Crush them!" I smiled wide and lowered myself as well trying to prevent myself from flying off the bike.
Gilbert pressed on the petal with more force and we raced even faster then ever before. The car seemed to grow more distant with every passing moment and soon the car had looked like it came to a complete stop. We had sped by a house about two minutes ago just before and just then I had realized WHO'S house it was we had passed.
"Oh! For the love of all that's cheesy." I yelled.
Gilbert seemed to know exactly what had happened to, "That was your house we passed wasn't it?"
I nodded into his back. Our house was pretty far back down the road. I sighed out heavily and as Gilbert slowed till he was able to turn around and come back at a much safer speed I pouted.
"We lost didn't we?" I moped.
"Most likely. I mean, we didn't even get to the house. We drove right by it so technically we lost. Ah! Those shit for brains!" He grumbled and exasperated very disappointed in the out come of our race.
"Man, we were so close to! Damn." I snapped my fingers.
Gilbert sighed out as he slowly came to a stop and turned into the driveway.
Feli pointed at us from the porch and laughed loudly, "Ha! You guys lost! You guys lost! We won! We won! Looosseerrss!"
Ludwig stood by smiling and crossing his arms. He sure looked cocky.
"Hey! Shut up you pasta eating faggot! I will eat you alive if you say another fucking word!" Gilbert snarled at him.
Feli jolted away and hid behind Ludwig a bit scared.
I hit Gilbert upside the head, "Call down, dude! It was a silly race~ We'll just take the car next time, jeez."
Gilbert rubbed the back of his head as if me hitting him actually hurt and trudged up the three little steps onto the porch waiting by the door not looking at Ludwig or Feliciano again. Ludwig frowned slightly and furrowed his eyebrows not understanding why his older brother was so upset over some harmless fun. I pulled out my keys and unlocked the door then lead them inside. The house was quiet and it made me shiver. My house was never quiet. My mom would always be doing something that made some sort of noise through out the house and when my dad was would make noise on purpose not liking silence either.
"Alright guys. You know the drill. Shoes in the basket, the bathroom is on the left near the living room and just because I have cable doesn't mean you can watch those dirty porn channels. Got it? I'll be right back I have to get something from my room." Like a drill sergeant I directed them to the living room then gently tossed the remote to Ludwig. I jogged upstairs taking my shoes with me. I hadn't noticed till I got to my door that Gilbert followed me upstairs.
"Huh? Gil? What's wrong?" I cocked my head slightly.
"I don't want to be down there with those losers." Gilbert mumbled having his hands shoved in his pockets.
I sighed, "Don't tell me you're really that upset about that race. We were just playing around!"
"Shhh! Shut up!" Gilbert hissed at me and opened the door to my bedroom shoving me inside and closing it after him.
"Hey! You can't just barge into someone's room like that! It's rude!" I protested standing angrily in front of him with arms crossed and huffing.
Rolling his eyes he got comfortable on MY bed and sighed out, "Shut up."
I frowned then shook my head sitting at the edge of my bed. I turned to him and got comfy as well, sitting criss-crossed.
"Seriously. What's up with you then?" I asked placing my chin in my palm.
"It's not about the stupid race. Well, it is, but it isn't." He tried to explain without giving too much away which seemed a bit hard for him in this type of situation. Whatever the type was.
"Dude. Just spit it out. Don't beat around the bush about it if it's troubling you that bad."
"Alright, alright…" Gilbert sighed looking down at his dried gelato smeared jeans with sad eyes, and a frown washing over his face that came out so fast it was as if he had been holding it in all day and finally was able to let it out. "…I got into an argument with my dad today. He was being such a douche bag."
"What? How the heck did you guys even start arguing? What were you guys arguing about?" I gulped slightly.
If Gilbert and his dad had argued and Gilbert was this sad and angry about it it must've been one BAD argument. His dad really was a douche bag though. I remember this one time Gilbert told me about…
The summer had just started, everyone was free from his or her middle school classes and it was a hot, boring day with nothing to do if you were by yourself. Ludwig had decided to bring a friend over so they could play some football and hang out while later that day, Gilbert had brought home Antonio so they could play video games. Gilbert's dad had walked into their room not even twenty minutes into their video game playing and commanded that Antonio went home immediately because Gilbert had to study. When Gilbert asked why he was supposed to study while Ludwig was still allowed to have HIS friend over, on top of the fact that studying over the summer was STUPID in it of itself. His father had told him it was because Ludwig was an acceptable son while Gilbert wasn't and that if Gilbert didn't become a REAL son, he'd make sure Gilbert didn't have any privileges. And so, Antonio was sent home and Gilbert was forced to study any book his dad had decided to give him whether it was age appropriate or not.
"Well, since that stupid Feliciano came over and was sleeping the night, he had eaten EVERYTHING that was even at the least bit delicious. So I had decided to go to the store and get something to eat. I didn't have that much cash on me so I just bought an Arizona and a case of cupcakes. When I came home, my dad had just come home as well. He seemed real tired and all, because he pulled an all-nighter. Like hell I wanted to talk to him so I tried to avoid him and go to my room, but he saw me and called for me. You know shit's gunna go down if he fucking calls for you right after he just got home. So I set down my stuff in the room and came out. Guess what the first fucking thing he says to me when he gets home and grabs a cold beer from the damn fridge!"
I blinked, "Dude, what he say?" I was caught up in the moment of his story.
I could just imagine a baggy eyed, sweating dad who seemed tired and stressed as hell.
"That stupid dick told me, 'Gilbert, I've been thinking and I feel that I've been unfair. While your brother is working his tail off to have a good life you sit and lounge around, being a lazy fuck. I think it's unfair for your brother and so I decided that you're going to boot camp. Maybe that will straighten you out and you can come back as a human being with a real purpose in life'…" Gilbert was now raising his voice in anger just thinking about the whole incident. "…That's how we got into the fight. I told him off and slammed his beer to the ground then ran to my bedroom cursing him off and yelling at him from behind my door. He said I could only tell him off from behind my door because I was a pussy, but the truth was, I didn't want that fag-faced-nobody see me cry. I didn't want him to know that he finally got to me." Gilbert finished, his voice watery and his eyes on the brink of small tears. He covered his face with his arm trying to hide his now flowing tears.
I nearly cried to. One of my best friend's in the whole wide world was completely tormented every single day of his life by the one person he couldn't escape from. I nearly cried because the tormentor was now doing the only thing left that everyone was dreading never happened. Gilbert was being taken away! My bro! My friend! My sensei! I crawled over and hugged him tight.
"Gilbert! Why don't you tell your mom he's doing this?" I questioned trying to comfort him with a rub on the arm.
"S-She…does-doesn't fucki-in' believe me! S-She kno-knows th-that I ha-hate him and won't believe a-a word I-I say!" Gilbert choked up all his words, some repeated, some shorter then they normally are and he made crying sounds to breathe.
I hugged him tighter and fought every urge to cry. Every fiber of my being was struck with intense anger and sadness.
"Gil…d-don't cry. Gilbert, listen. Dude, listen to me; you can't go, man! You seriously can't and I think I got an idea." I began to say trying to sooth him.
I rubbed his arm gently waiting for him to calm down a little bit. He brought his crying to a very quiet sob.
"Why don't you stay here with us for a while, huh? It would be fun. My dad…well…he got into an accident and he'll be in the hospital for a while. Don't ask what happened. I don't really know much either, but my mom and me wouldn't mind extra help around the house. What do you say? We can watch anime and stay up late playing video game." I spoke quietly trying to bring hope into Gilbert when suddenly the crying had stopped. All the sobs of sadness and stress had stopped. The tears that flowed from Gilbert's eyes down his cheeks had stopped running and began to dry slowly.
"Rowan...you…you'd do that for me?" His voice was soft and quivering gently.
"Of course." I replied.
"Why?"
"Because we're REAL bros."