Hi guys! I know it's been a while but once again, life has just taken over! Despite exams being over, I am still really busy so I haven't had as much time to write as I had hoped. However, I am slowly making progress on my other fanfiction (Life as a Braxton) as well as a number of one-shots that have been on my mind for ages!
I would just like to say a massive thank you to all the readers and reviewers out there. Your support means the world to me - thank you for being so amazing and for being so patient with me!
For this selection of one-shots, I do have a couple of ideas, both suggested ones from readers as well as my own, but I am still open to anymore ideas/prompts from you guys so let me know if you do! You can do it via review or PM!
Awesomesis2 – Thank you for your review, I'm glad that you're enjoyed reading the one-shots I have done so far. And thank you for the prompt – would you like one with a positive spin on Casey and Danny's relationship or one that is more negative? I don't really mind either way which one I write! Thanks again for your support!
Franny – Thanks for reviewing, I'm really pleased that you like the one-shots. I know I miss Casey too! Thank you for the prompt - keep an eye out for one with sick Casey! Thanks again!
Thay – Thanks for review, I'm glad I've finally updated as well! I'm glad you liked reading about young Braxtons and Barretts, it was fun to write! I reply to everyone who reviews, I private message those who have accounts and then reply to guest like you on the next chapter (even though it's been a while between updates!). Thanks again, I hope you enjoy this chapter; it's your prompt that you gave me a (long!)while back!
Casey and Brax - Surprises - a prompt from Thay and a number of other guest reviewers who wanted something with Casey and Brax. This is just one of many ways I thought of to show the relationship between the two of them
Seven year old Casey woke up in the early hours of Saturday morning. He was excited that it was finally the weekend so he could spend more time with his brothers and go to the beach. Since Brax had picked up extra shifts at work and Casey and Heath had to go to school during the week, they hadn't had a chance to go to the beach as they normally would. For the Braxtons, the beach was like a second home – a haven for when things got too much at home, a place where they could forget all their worries and just relax. So when Brax had announced their plans on Friday night for the weekend ahead, Casey was thrilled to say the least.
Casey quickly got changed, eager to leave for the beach as soon as possible. However, as he walked past both of his brothers' bedrooms, he noticed that their doors were closed, indicating that they were still asleep. He could hear Heath's loud snores from outside his door and Casey knew that there was no point in attempting to wake Heath up to this hour, he was a heavy sleeper and didn't appreciate being woken up before noon. Casey put his hand the door handle of Brax's bedroom; about to enter the room to wake his brother up but then he remembered how tired Brax had been last night. Balancing two jobs to pay bills as well as raising his brothers wasn't an easy task for the oldest Braxton, but with their father in jail and their mother struggling with addictions, he didn't have a choice in the matter. Instead Casey retreated from the door, deciding to let his brother get some more sleep, a plan forming inside his head.
Making his way into the kitchen, opening and closing various cupboards and the fridge rather loudly, Casey ended up with various food items out onto the counter. He put a few slices of the bread into the toaster before turning his attention to the pancakes he intended to make. He couldn't recall the quantities Brax normally used, so he decided to just estimate. Casey went a little wild adding the flour into the mixing bowl, dusting himself and the immediate area with a coat of flour. He then proceeded to add the eggs into the bowl. He tried to imitate the technique Brax used to crack the eggs though not to the same success since bits of egg shell ended up in the bowl too. He then added milk to the mixture resulting in the contents of the bowl looking rather runny despite his constant stirring. He rummaged around looking for the pan so he could start making the pancakes. He had never used the stove before, though he had observed Brax on many occasions – how hard could it be?
Brax rolled onto his side, his eyes adjusting to the light that seeped into his room. Propping himself up on his elbow, he glanced to the alarm clock, groaning as he registered the early hour. After a tiring week, he had wanted to have a lie in. His jobs, whilst tedious and repetitive, were tiring and laborious, so he wanted as much sleep as he could get. Unceremoniously, he fell back onto his pillows, determined to go back to sleep. However, just as his eyes began to feel heavy, he heard some banging and clattering coming from the kitchen. As he debated whether or not he could ignore the noises, the smoke alarm started blaring. Sighing as he rushed out of his room in the direction of the noise, Brax knew he wouldn't be getting any more sleep this morning.
The sudden wail of the smoke alarm caused Casey to jump and drop the pan he had just retrieved. He then remembered about the toast he had put in earlier. Before he could retrieve the burnt toast or try to stop the alarm, his eldest brother's shocked voice reached his ears, "Case?" He asked in disbelief, "What's going on?"
Brax was surprised to say the least to see his youngest brother in the middle of the kitchen, covered in a light coating of flour with the smoke alarm going off. Brax moved past Casey to stop the ear-splitting noise and to rescue the toast from the toaster.
"Case?" Brax prompted as he turned to face his youngest brother, who had still not given an answer.
"It was meant to be a surprise," Casey said, his little face crestfallen that he had ruined the surprise by forgetting about the toast, that he had woken Brax up and that he hadn't actually made the breakfast like he intended.
"A surprise?" Brax said, as he rubbed the back of his neck, "Yeah, it was a surprise alright. What were you doing?"
"Making breakfast," Casey replied.
Brax finally registered the small chaos on the counter next to Casey as well as the pan on the floor now that the initial shock over the smoke alarm going off had passed.
"And what were you making for breakfast?" Brax asked carefully.
"Pancakes and toast," Casey mumbled, disheartened that he hadn't actually had the chance to make the pancakes and that he had burnt the toast.
"You were planning on using the stove?" Brax questioned his voice getting dangerously stern.
"I've seen you do it before Brax," Casey answered in a quiet voice.
Brax sighed deeply as he lectured his brother, "Case, you know that you're not meant to use the stove, especially not by yourself! What if something had happened? You could have easily caused a fire or burnt yourself. You're just lucky that the toast got burnt so that I came, otherwise who knows what would've happened!"
"I'm sorry Brax," Casey whimpered as he looked down at his feet, avoiding eye contact with his brother, disappointed that he had make his brother made when all he wanted to do was surprise him.
Brax relented slightly as he took note of his brother's expression, "If you wanted pancakes you could have just asked me."
"I didn't want to wake you, you were really tired yesterday. And I just wanted to do something nice for you Brax, to make you a nice breakfast before we go to the beach. It was my way of saying thank you and of helping you."
Despite the scare Casey had given him, Brax's heart swelled as he heard that. The innocence in Casey's voice and his kind-hearted intentions were enough to make Brax soften and beckoned Casey over to him.
"Well that was a really nice thing to want to do Case, thank you," Brax said as he gave him a one-armed hug, "But next time, just remember, even when you're doing something nice, you still have to be safe okay."
"Okay," Casey nodded.
"Alright, why don't we get this lot tidied up, have breakfast and go to the beach then?"
"Yeah!" Casey's face lit up.
"Wow!" Casey exclaimed as his brother flipped the pancake, "How do you get it right every single time?"
"Practise," Brax chuckled.
"Will you teach me?"
"Yeah of course," Brax replied, "When you're older though."
Casey smiled in return as he watched in awe.
"Case do me a favour and go wake Heath up," Brax instructed.
"You know how much he hates being woken up! He just grumbles and shouts."
Brax laughed, "I know, and you did say you wanted to help me out, and waking him up would be a big help to me."
"Okay," Casey agreed as he made his way to Heath's bedroom, eager to do anything that would help his brother and to make up for this morning.
Heath finally joined Casey and Brax at the breakfast table after Casey's many attempts to try to wake him.
"Nice of you to join us Heath," Brax smirked as his brother wordlessly smothered his pancakes with syrup.
"Hurry up and eat Heath," Casey encouraged his brother since Casey and Brax had just finished their breakfast.
"Geez, relax Case," Heath grumbled, "I've just sat down."
"Well you should've woken up earlier," Casey replied, "I want to go to the beach."
"Quit whining Case or I'll just take my sweet time eating," Heath threatened as he made a show of slowly eating his breakfast.
"Oi," Brax interrupted, "Stop arguing you two."
Brax stood up, "C'mon Case, help me tidy up whilst Heath eats."
Casey sighed, "But we just tidied up Brax, can't we do it later?"
"We tidied up your mess before Case," Brax said, with emphasis on 'we' and 'your', "Besides Heath's still eating so we can't go anywhere yet."
"What mess?" Heath asked with his mouth full.
"Nothing," Casey answered quickly as he helped Brax with the dishes.
"Ooh! What did you do Case?" Heath questioned, intrigued to find out what had happened.
"Nothing," Casey repeated.
"Don't tell me you wet your pants."
"What? No I didn't!" Casey declared, not understanding where his brother had gotten that idea from.
"Then what?" Heath questioned, knowing that his comment would've riled Casey up.
Interrupting his brothers again Brax answered briefly, "He wanted to surprise us with breakfast, but it didn't quite go to plan."
Realisation dawned on Heath as he questioned, "Is that why the smoke alarm was going off?"
"You heard that?" Brax asked.
"Of course I did! The stupid thing was doing my head in!"
"And yet you didn't get out of bed."
"Nah," Heath brushed it off, "Not the first time it's gone off is it."
Casey chuckled at the disapproving look Brax gave to Heath as he lectured him on fire safety.
"I don't know why you're laughing Case," Heath turned his attention towards his younger brother, "I'm not the one who nearly set the house on fire!"
"It was an accident! And it was only toast; it wouldn't have set the house on fire."
"But you could've if you'd used the stove to make the pancakes," Brax reminded Casey.
Heath laughed, "I bet that was some surprise for you Brax, meant to be a nice breakfast but instead you get burnt toast, a smoke alarm going off and a kid about to use the stove!"
Casey looked down at his feet out of guilt, the action didn't go unnoticed by Brax.
"Well at least Case tries to do something nice for me," Brax defended his youngest brother as he put an arm around his shoulder.
"I surprise you too!" Heath added with a smirk, "My report cards!"
Brax just shook his head at his brother's answer.
"Finally, you've finished!" Casey exclaimed to his brother, "Quickly go get ready so we can go!"
"Yes sir," Heath mock-saluted as he left the kitchen for his room.
"I'm sorry your surprise didn't go how I wanted it to," Casey apologised to his older brother earnestly.
"Hey don't worry about it mate," Brax replied, "You were just trying to do something nice for me and I really appreciate that."
"Thanks Brax, I love you," Casey said as he hugged his brother.
"Love you too mate," Brax replied as he returned the hug.
"Why are you too getting all soppy for?" Heath's voice came to their ears.
"Group hug," Casey announced as he dragged Heath over to where he had just been standing with Brax.
"Nope, nope, not happening," Heath said as he resisted.
Finally, he gave in and allowed Brax and Casey to engulf him into the hug for a while before he pulls back and remarked, "Now can we go to the beach?"
Thank you for reading! What did you think?
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Thanks again!