Chapter Title: Idiot

Series Title: Unlikely Brothers

Author: Obi the Kid

POV: Dashen (Tanner is 15, Dash is 21)

Chapter Summary: Dashen allows greed to get in the way of the job and there are consequences.

Series Summary: A series of non-chronological stories taking place in the world of my original characters Dashen and Tannerlin.

Rating: PG

Characters: Dashen Lesedi, Tannerlin Vai (Jedi), Virgil Colton


"Yes, I know. I'm an idiot. Let's move on."

"Now where's the fun in that? You have perhaps reached the pinnacle of idiocracy today."

"You can't invent words just to instill them on me, Colt."

"I can do however I please. You are living in my house. I pay for your brother's schooling. I keep you employed. And still, you remain what you are."

I know, I know. He was right. This time. I was an idiot. A bonehead was a better adjective at the moment, although idiot sufficed nicely enough. However, I wasn't about to give Virgil Colton the upper hand and actually verbally agree with him. That would just give him way too much joy in his life, and currently we weren't about joy. We were about screwing up and screwing up royally. Well, that's what I was about. Unfortunately, I'd taken Colton and Tanner with me on my trip into bone-headedness.

Now look who was inventing words. At least they were only in my head. I looked up at the broad blonde man. He was angry too. Did I mention he was angry? I wanted to plead my case, but I thought it better to just plead for help.

"So, how do I fix this?"

"You start by apologizing for being an idiot," Colt retorted.

"Sorry." I shrugged.

"Yeah. And no. Go get your brother. Now."

"Damn it, Colt. You can't order me here and there. I reached the official age of adulthood three years ago."

"True, however, as I just recently informed you no more than a moment ago, I provide you a place to live. I am still paying for your brother's schooling. I keep you mostly employed. Didn't we just go over this? Don't add dense to your list of issues, Dash. And all of those things that I provide? That's where I get my ability to make you abide by my orders. Now, go get your brother."

I went. Tannerlin was in his room, holding a frozen bantha steak on his face. His black and blue colors matched my own. They matched Colton's as well.

Standing at the door of his bedroom, I said, "Tanner, Colton wants to see us."

My brother removed the steak so that he could glare at me though his long bangs. One of his pale brown eyes was about swollen shut. Ouch! And, oh…my fault. Then, he threw the steak at me. Nothing like a piece of raw bantha being Force-hurled at you from across the room. Damn Jedi.

The frozen meat landed with a thump against the wall. I left it and went back downstairs. Tanner followed and stood next to Colton once back in the common room. Colton's swollen face looked worse than my brothers, but I chalked that up to the bruising having to cover a much larger area. They both glared at me now, each of them with their one and a half eyes. It made three total. That made me laugh for some reason. Wrong thing to do right now.

I straightened my face and said, "Sooooo…what?"

Colton reached over to whap me in the forehead as Tanner Force-whipped a pillow from the couch into my face.

"Can we move past the head-damaging stage please?"

More stares and glares and I was pretty certain that they were not quite ready to forgive me.

"Fine. I'm sorry for dragging you both into this. It was my job, my responsibility. I thought using you both as a distraction would allow me an easier time of getting in and out without being seen. My client said the quicker the object was in his hand, the higher the money he was willing to pay out. It's no secret that I need the money. Yes, Colton, I still owe you for many things. Living quarters. School. Employment. I got greedy and used you both. And we all got hurt in the process and I feel like crap, okay?"

Large arms crossing on front of his chest, Colton steadied out a deep breath (needed so he didn't murder me right here on the spot) and snapped, "You conveniently forgot that you lost the money, the object and the client."

Yeah, there was that. "Well, I was hoping we could gloss over that part."

"Damn it, Dashen! Grunley is not one you want to lose. The man has money and is not afraid to offer it if the job is done to his satisfaction. The fact that you went in there, took the job, got into trouble, got me and the kid beat to hell, then lost it all…just because you got greedy…I am…disappointed. You let me down and I don't think you've ever done that before."

Ouch. That hurt. I may be an idiot and I may give Colton a hard time, but I looked up to him more than I had anyone in my life. I didn't often make him proud, but I had no want to make him regret taking me under his wing.

My inner monologue halted as he continued. "You're a better man than this job, Dash. So very much better. When you were first learning the trade from me, what was the one thing I told you over and over again? The one thing more important to the job than anything – it would make or break your reputation as a runner."

I sighed, frowned and let my head bob downward for a second. "Don't get greedy." Actually, the exact words he'd always said were, 'Don't get greedy, you idiot,' but I figured it best to leave that part out this time.

"Exactly," Colton responded as he stepped toward me and pushed a finger into my chest. "Don't. Get. Greedy. You ruin everything that makes you good at this job. This time, you got greedy and well…" Removing his finger, he motioned with a hand towards Tanner. I saw my brother's face. Black and blue. Cheek swollen. One eye currently useless. And I realized how much I hated myself. The money. So much damn money. I'd seen only that and nothing more. In my ravenousness need for the stuff, I'd gotten my own family hurt.

I nodded without a word, my face serious and sorrowful. Reaching up, I felt the bulky bruise on my own face. It wasn't as bad as Colton's or Tanner's – I had complete use of both eyes – but it was uncomfortable.

Then I realized something else. Tanner. My brother hadn't actually spoken to me this whole time. He wasn't the type to ever really get angry. All that Jedi code crap – there is no anger, etc, etc. No, he was able to get to me in much more subtle ways; the silent treatment among them. Well, that and the whole Force-throwing projectiles in my direction. I curse the day that he eventually figures out how to use that power of his to its full potential. No more harmless pillows and bantha steaks being hurled at me once he learned how to toss substantial things like couches and land speeders. The silent treatment though…it worked because it drove him away from me and if there was one thing that scared the living daylights out of me, it was losing my brother. Been there, done that, got the tunic and all.

As I said, I'd screwed this one up big time.

"I did forget, Colt. I got greedy, I saw the money and…and I let it consume me. The last thing I ever wanted was to get anyone hurt." I turned my head to my brother. "Especially you, Tanner. I'm sorry. Truly sorry. I'll even apologize to Grunley and grovel at his feet if I have to for him to not fire me. Just…don't hate me, all right? Tanner?"

The harsh stares eventually eased and Tanner finally spoke. "You are a fool at times, Dash." Oh, joy. An idiot and a fool. Happy times. "And I suppose you do things for the right reasons…"

"Just in moronic ways," Colton finished up.

So…idiot, fool and now a moron. Anything else?

"But we love you anyway," Tanner ended with a sneaky grin…and another flying object. This time, it was nothing more than a cool wet cloth that floated gently into my hand. "You're bleeding again. Right ear."

Seems I didn't escape the worst of my stupidity after all. Rag to the side of my face, I moved over to the couch only to be dragged away by the scruff of my neck.

"Come on, Colt! I'm tired. I ache. I need to sit."

"You need to shower," the large blond man retorted. "Family or not, you are not putting your filthy grimy self on my furniture. Not in this lifetime. Oh and you owe me three premium bantha steaks. And if you ever do again what you did today, murder could be an option."

I knew he was kidding, Colton would never actually kill me, but I understood the warning. My hands went up into a defensive posture, "Lesson learned, I swear. No death threats necessary."

Escape presented itself when neither Colt nor Tanner said anything else, and I vanished from the room and up the steps.

I replenished the bantha steaks the next day and did one better by roasting them up for dinner, complete with spiced potatoes and side of skinned Driblis fruit. The least I could do for the only two people in my life who actually gave a crap about me. And hopefully it would allow amends for what I'd done. They forgave me of course, not for being an idiot, but for getting them both hurt. I could live with that. No choice really. And I meant it when I'd told Colt that I'd learned my lesson. No more greed – not within the job anyway. Play for the agreed upon payment, make the fun, do the job, come home safe and don't allow your family to get the snot beat out of them in the process.

I do believe that those are rules that even I, a greedy, foolish, moronic idiot, could manage.


The End