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He wanted to make something of himself.
That’s what Wilbur told his father when one day he had decided to leave home. He had sat down in the living room, his family sitting opposite of him, with a bag packed. No one had seen it coming, not even the man himself. It was a spur of the moment decision that he knew he would chicken out of if he did not do it right away.
“I want to make something of myself. A bard makes next to nothing unless I am hired by someone to write only about them and I do not want to be stuck in a job I will hate the rest of my life.”
“But you are the heir to my throne Wilbur? Do you not see being a king as desirable as you once had?” His father asked, a twinge of disappointment in his voice. Wilbur smiled and shaggy brown curls bounced side to side.
“Quite the contrary. I would love to be the king of your glorious empire one day, but I believe there will be too many expectations for me. I cannot live up to you and your subjects standards.”
“I hold you to no standards! I know you will lead differently than I will and I accept you just as you are, you are my son!” His son gave out a sigh, soft but calloused hands holding a heavy head full of doubt.
“I know father, I know you hold me to no standards. But as I had said, your subjects do. No matter what I do as I am king, they will always compare me to you, the Mighty Philza, Angel of Death.”
Silence hung heavy in the air, Wilbur's father looking at him with an empty and unreadable expression. The man could only smile to himself, knowing his father could not rebuttal that fact, no matter how hard he wished to.
Wilbur then looked up to his younger brother who had, surprisingly, been silent the whole time.
“Tommy,”
The blonde looked up, finally making eye contact with his older brother, his other half.
“How do you feel about this?”
“Do not bring him into this,” Philza all but snapped. The tone caught both brothers off guard.
“He is allowed an opinion on this. If I leave, he is the heir and also loses his brother. Is there any reason you don’t want him to voice his opinion? Is it because you are scared he will side with me? Is that it, father?”
Wilbur knew how to pick fights and knew what to say to win. He expected no response and was pleased, a satisfied smile spreading on his face, when he was right.
“I am not exactly opposed, but I do not want to be heir,” Tommy finally spoke, uncharacteristically soft.
Both men looked at the blonde, expecting more from him. He gave nothing, hands clasped tightly in his lap and eyes not meeting any others.
“So what would you suggest then Toms?” Wilbur spoke before his father could get a word out, his mouth hanging slightly agape for no reason now.
“I do not know. I want you to be happy but I also want to be with you. I don’t want to be heir but if you don’t I would not want to force you to be. It is all very confusing,”
The two men nodded their heads in understanding but then the silence was back, heavy and unnerving. Wilbur’s resolve was dwindling, ready to just cave and give it up but then Tommy spoke up once more.
“Give him a set amount of time to complete whatever it is he wants and if he has not made something of himself, as he wishes to, then bring us home.” Tommy suggested.
Philza held a hand to his chin, contemplating the suggestion but suddenly was snapped out of it.
“What did you mean ‘us’ at the end? ‘Bring us home,’ you plan on leaving too?”
Wilbur hadn’t caught that small, insignificant detail until his father pointed it out.
Does he think he will be allowed to come with? Father has put up such a fight against just me going, what makes him think he will let both his sons go?”
“Yes, us. I want to go with. I can help him whenever it is needed, as I am much more fun to talk to,” Wilbur cried out at that, making both of them laugh. “And I can keep him on task. We can both send letters back home to report progress and that way you can get the full story! We both know he would make himself sound better than he is with all his fucking fancy words and shit.”
Their father laughed once again, the heaviness that once hung in the air now thoroughly dispersed thanks to the blonde. He always had a way to make everything more playful and enjoyable, giving Wilbur the impression he is a human emulating the sun.
“Why are you laughing?! It is a great idea!” The blonde was yelling, only causing the family to double over and clutch their stomachs in joy.
He graciously allowed the two others in his company to calm down before any more words were spoken. He watched with a bright smile as the two gathered themselves, calming down to continue their conversation.
“Oh gosh, well, you raise good points Tommy. I suppose I can agree with those terms.”
The brothers exchanged bright smiles, their shared joy radiating off of the both of them. Tommy pumped his fist into the air and let out a sound of excitement while Wilbur just simply laughed.
He had gotten more than he bargained for but he was leaving to do his own thing and he got to bring his brother with. The man could never be happier. He embraced his father, whispering his gratitude while his sunshine brother celebrated by himself.
He was going to make something of himself.
He would.