Chapter Text
The week straight out of babysitting hell technically starts the day before Harvard and Aiden leave for the New England College Showcase, an annual event organized by Kings Row and dozens of affiliated universities in several states that’s supposed to help seniors determine where they’ll be attending in the Fall, but in reality, is one giant party, a weeklong road trip with no classes and the freedom to do whatever, just as long as they show up in time for the day’s allotted campus tour or academic schedule.
Understandably, Eugene is insanely jealous.
“Is there going to be booze?” he asks, though he already knows the answer. Tanner’s brand-new fake ID is probably the most convincing he’s ever gotten his sticky hands on, and if the stories about this glorified field trip are anywhere near true, he’ll be putting it to good use.
Grinning, Harvard neatly folds another short sleeve Henley and sets it in his open suitcase. Another plus: no fucking school uniform. “Every hotel they have us booked with is in a college town. I think there’s going to be more alcohol than even the Castello dorm has seen.”
Pouting, Eugene swivels around in the desk chair. “So fucking lucky. Booze and hot people.”
“Oh, who cares about any of that?” Aiden says, strutting back in from the bathroom, this time with a whole slew of bottles and jars in varying sizes. He dumps them all on top of his already overflowing suitcase, only the third piece of luggage he’s successfully filled. The two others he managed to zip up look suspiciously close to bursting at any second, and Eugene has deliberately positioned himself a safe distance away. “I can’t wait to eat lobster in Maine and sunbathe on the beach.”
Eugene can't help but cackle at the way Aiden is suddenly frowning down at his own overpacking like he has no idea how it happened. “Why the fuck are you prepping like you’re going on an Antarctic Expedition?”
Crossing his arms, Aiden blinks once at him, looking completely mystified. “Because I'm going on a vacation?”
Eugene can see Harvard fighting a laugh, cheek dimpling. Furrowing his perfect eyebrows, Aiden promptly turns around, but their captain has already gone back to tucking an appropriate amount of clothes into his single suitcase and appearing innocent.
“Okay, let’s avoid the whole vacation word because Team Baby is still under the impression you two are on some sort of academic pilgrimage.” Kicking his legs, Eugene propels himself across the room and plucks Beary Potter off Aiden’s duvet. He jokingly dubbed the teddy bear that months ago and now, to be honest, has no clue what its actual name is. “We don’t need them stowing away in the Camaro’s trunk.”
Aiden kind of looks like he wants to stalk over and snatch Beary and put him up on that stupid high shelf Eugene can’t reach, but he also looks apprehensive, twisting a strand of blonde hair around a finger. “Are you sure you’re going to be able to handle them all by yourself?”
Eugene freezes in the middle of making Beary Potter do a little Irish jig and snorts, “You’re joking, right?” He’d taken Nicholas and Seiji under his wing long before Harvard and Aiden ever gave a fuck. Granted, they’ve always been there but he thinks that, along with his lifetime experience of being the oldest sibling, should at least count for something. “I think you two forget that I have three actual little brothers that I’ve looked after alone more times than I can count and they’re all still alive.”
Harvard is stealing a few useless items from Aiden’s brimming suitcase when he isn’t looking and hiding them under a pillow. “It’s almost like you’ve never met Team Baby.”
“I can totally handle this. I’ll make sure they both do their homework and eat their vegetables; something I actually only really have to worry about with Nick. I’ll nod and smile when they, especially Seiji, start blabbering about nerdy fencing shit. I’ll knock politely before opening their door and I’ll pretend to ignore all the gross Honeymoon Phase lovey-dovey looks they give each other even though it triggers my fight or flight response.” Eugene takes Beary Potter’s little stuffed arms and has him whip out some finger guns, the best a teddy bear can do, but makes sure to add some convincing sound effects. “Easiest babysitting stint ever.”
Aiden and Harvard share a brief look from across the room, and then Harvard turns to him, openly wincing. “Please don’t let them murder each other to death. Or you.”
Eugene just laughs, gently tossing Beary over Aiden’s head, the expression of mild horror on his face hilarious, and Harvard raises a hand and easily catches him. “We’ll miss our team parents, please send us a postcard when you guys aren’t completely plastered or in a coma from all the buttered lobster.”
Out in the hallway, Eugene hears the familiar deafening arrival of Nicholas and Seiji returning from working in the library on their Latin class project. The door is shut, but Nicholas’ howling about their group sucking and how he’d rather be in the salle practicing filters in as clear as day, along with Seiji’s voice, much lower in comparison but somehow still sounding sharp, telling Nick he hardly even contributes anything and just doodles all over his papers. The bickering reaches new volumes just as they arrive outside the door.
Harvard softly lays Beary Potter inside his suitcase and zips it up. Exchanging a small smile with Aiden, he crosses the room to unlock the door and unleash hell upon them all. But just before he turns the handle, he grins wickedly at Eugene. “Congratulations, you’re in charge now. We’ll let you handle this one, Team Mom.”