Chapter Title: One Day

Series Title: Unlikely Brothers

Ages in this chapter: Dashen (10), Kossi (5)

POV: Dashen

Chapter Summary: A young Dashen looks after little brother Kossi on a cold Winter evening.


It was late. We were cold. Winter was always a challenge. Our folks, they worked hard to give us all they could, but the limitations were many. Still, they loved us and it's all we needed.

Kossi sat by the window curled into his favorite blanket. It was a neutral green with some frayed edges and a few small stains. Evidence of an object well used and well loved. With unfocused eyes, he was dreaming of the hills beyond his view. The ones that shined purple in the sun, is how he described them. His absolute favorite place in the galaxy.

We couldn't see those hills from our one level flat. We'd visited enough though that Kossi dreamed about them every day. One day, maybe when we could afford it, we'd move to a place that had that magical view of the hills. One day.

For now, we had this extremely modest family-of-four flat. Cozy and comfortable, if not all that warm on the coldest of nights.

Kossi and I shared a bedroom. It's what we had. Four rooms total; one for our folks, one for us. A kitchen-living area and a bathroom. I didn't mind. After all, my heart had fallen hard for my baby brother the very first second I saw those green eyes and that dark hair, matching mine almost shade for shade. My brother. My kin. My family. The person I'd grow to love most in the galaxy.

The window looked out onto the street. An alleyway to be exact. Not much activity this time of evening, though where were some passersby. Kossi lived to watch the people as they strolled through their own lives. Seeing the different species and races and creatures, he took it all in. Amazed by every second of the galaxy around him. I envied that about him. His ability to see everything. To look past enemy or friend or whoever and just see the person that they were under the label.

Me? I judged. This person was that. That person was this. Honestly, if I didn't see someone as a potential threat to my baby brother, that was a crazy miracle. Every instinct inside of me said to protect this kid with my life. I took those instincts seriously. I thrived most when my was brother safe and happy.

Kossi giggled at the current passerby outside. It was a little busier than normal this evening with the recent flood of export ships stocking up for departure. I turned to the window to see what had caught his attention. Ah, a little thing. A pet of some sort trailing behind an armored pilot. To me it looked like a not-horribly-ugly version of a swamp rat. To Kossi, it was adorable and cute with big round eyes that watched my brother as he watched it. It even put on a little show for Kossi. Spinning around, bouncing in the air… before it realized it's master was too far away and it sped up to catch her. Kossi watched until the tiny creature vanished.

"Dashy, he was cute. I wish I could have a pet."

He knew the rules. We had little in the way of extra money in our family. Once food for the week was bought, that ran our folks dry. Feeding an extra mouth, that just wasn't in the equation.

Still, never stopped him from dreaming.

"One day, Kos. One day."

"I know. M'only five. When I'm grown up, right?"

"Yup. For now, you have me."

My fingers reached over and snatched a tickle spot on his ribs. Always got him. The repetitive sound of giggling filled the air again. One of my favorite sounds ever.

"You make a good pillow, but not a good pet, Dashy. You're funny."

His dark hair leaned back against me, he sat (still wrapped in his blanket, but in my hold), his back on my chest. My arms folded across his front. I kissed the top of his head. I was only ten years old, but I tall for my age. Kossi fit nicely in that safe pocket.

From the other room, I heard our mom yell out, "Time to turn in, boys. Early school day tomorrow." She'd come in later to kiss us goodnight and tell us she loved us. Every night, without fail. Our father, he got home later than we went to bed. He would see us off in the early morning. They really were the best parents, even if Kossi and I were typical kids and told them that they drove us nuts all the time. They still loved us. They worked hard. They were good people.

If I could one day be like them, I'd do all right with my life. One day.

For now, it was time to ready for bed. We'd already cleaned up and changed into our sleep clothes before Kossi had wrapped himself in the blanket to window spy. I suppose it was time to move him away from the view and onto his bed.

"Hey, Kos, Bedtime." I whispered to him, laying my chin on his shoulder from behind.

"Few more minutes? Please?"

Of course I was a sucker for this kid. Always had been, always would be.

"Few more minutes."

"Love you, Dashy."

There it was; how he sucked me in so easily. Three simple words. In part, he did say it in order to suck me in, but he also meant every last syllable. Kossi wasn't a kid to waste words like your typical five year old human. When he said words, they had meaning and truth.

I responded warmly with what had become our thing. It had been our thing from the time he could form cohesive sentences.

"Love you back, Kos." I hugged him to me. Tight.

There were times I never really wanted to let go. I don't know why. Just a feeling that if I did, bad things would happen and I'd never get to hug him again.

Kossi seemed to recognize when that mood was on me. He'd stay wrapped up with me longer than normal and he'd say the same thing every time.

"I'll never leave you, Dashy. Never ever."

For all the worry that I held for our future - keeping my little brother safe - those simple few words could push a mountain of worry aside.

One day I'd be free of those worries. I was certain. When Kossi was grown and taking care of himself and were were stronger and better… one day those worries I held to now would all just fade away. I had to believe that. Kossi did. Or so he said he did. Would he lie to me? A five year old? Did he have it in him?

He knew how much I loved him. How much I needed him. But he was also wise beyond his years. I suspect he could make me believe the world if the goal was to make me feel better. And it usually was.

"Little brother, the few minutes is up." I said eventually.

"Momma said we have to sleep now."

"She did. And mom's the boss."

"Yeah," he said cheerfully, nudging against me one last time before crawling out of my arms. "But you're a pretty good boss too, Dashy."

"M'only ten, I don't think you're allowed to be a boss until you're eighteen."

"Eighteen? That's so old! Will take forever to be eighteen."

"I hope so, Kos. I hope it takes forever."

"Me too." With few five year old grunts, he snuggled onto his bed. Starting off on his left side to keep an eye on me. I settled his green blanket over him, then a second thicker one to fend off further chill. "Hey Dashy, you wanna share my blanket?"

Always thinking about others. That was Kossi. Stars, love him.

"I'm okay, little brother, I have two blankets too. You keep yours to stay warm. It's gonna be cold tonight."

"If I get cold, I'll come snuggle with you."

No doubt, he would. I couldn't count the number of times I'd woken the next morning to find that little monster sprawled all over me. Legs tossed out, arms tossed in. However there was to comfort alongside me, he'd figure it out.

"Then one day," he proclaimed, "I'll be big enough that I won't get cold anymore. Maybe, one day I will. But if I don't, you can always stay warm in my blanket."

A slight eerie chill went through me. Every so often, Kossi would say something in such a way that scared me to death. As if he knew something about his future but didn't understand it completely. It was ominous and it crept up my worry-meter. I couldn't say he was just saying things to say them (as any five year old would), or if there was deeper meaning behind that. As I said, Kossi didn't often say things just to say them. He wasn't a babbler. It's part of why it worried me so badly.

I often had this fear that one day maybe I'd wake up… and Kossi would be gone.

Then… just like that, it was over. Almost as if he could feel my anxiety rising, Kossi would settle it back into place. Crawling over to my bed, he reached over and kissed the top of my head. When I woke the next morning, I found his favorite green blanket tucked around my shoulders. It had been a good sleep. A sound sleep. Now, I knew why.

As much as I took care of him, Kossi took care of me. He didn't have to wait until one day when he was older or bigger. His one day was now. I was struggling and he made it better.

I sniffed away my usual early morning runny nose and stretched a long arm across the short distance that separated our beds, touching his shoulder.

"Kos, wake up, little brother. We've got school today." Yup, a new school year. Kossi's first year in regular class. Up and at 'em early today.

There was a long elaborate stretch and three deep breaths before Kossi sat up. Shaggy black hair shooting off in all different directions. I laughed. Certainly, I didn't look much better. He giggled. It was a good morning.

We were up and out the door on time.

"Dashy, Poppa said you are gonna walk me to school."

"I am. Your classes are in a building near mine."

"You're in the big school! One day I'll be there too."

"One day you will. But don't rush it. Be a kid for a while. Plenty of time to be older when you actually are older."

"That sounds funny."

"Because I am funny." Another tickle attack. More giggling. He hugged me around the waist.

Damn I loved this kid.

We got to the school and I walked him to the class, making absolute sure he got there on time and was in the right place. The teacher awaited and checked his name off the data-pad list. I knew her. Miss Jorhm. She taught me when I was five. Kossi would enjoy her class.

From a short distance, Kossi waved to me. "Bye Dashy!" And when he wasn't satisfied by my return wave (he often referred to me as unenthusiastic), he hurried over for a quick hug.

Yup. It's what I'd needed.

"Have fun in class, Kos."

"I will. Love you, Dashy!"

For most kids, yelling that they loved their sibling across a crowded room of piers was absolutely unheard of. Embarrassment mostly. Reputations started early in life after all. For Kossi, that mattered not one bit. The kid was who he was, and he wasn't afraid to proclaim it to the entire galaxy.

He was my baby brother. He was the other half of my soul.

And one day… one day… he would show that same galaxy how special he was.

Until then… "Love you back, Kos." I released the hug, exchanged a pleasant smile with Miss Jorhm and left for a new school day.


END