Work Text:
-Young Shannon/Jared-
Shannon sprinted up the driveway, desperate to get to the door before his little brother did. His black backpack bounced in the air, defenseless as its small owner sprang up the stairs two at a time. Faintly, the eight-year-old could hear Jared screaming for him to slow down and to let him catch up. Shannon smirked as he pulled out the key his mother gave him at the beginning of the school year and quickly unlocked the door. Once he slipped in, the young boy slammed the door shut and wrenched the lock sharply to the right.
He held back a giggle as he heard Jared hobble up the stairs, the boy’s short legs hindering his speed slightly. Soon after, he felt his brother start pounding on the door, pleading to be let in.
“Shan! Please!” begged the seven-year-old.
Shannon had to bit his fist in order to muffle the chuckles. Francis was right, this was funny. Tears of mirth welled up in his bright, hazel eyes and he bent over as he laughed silently.
The pounding intensified as did the volume of Jared’s begging. Next was the backpack, Jared throwing it at the door in an attempt to break through it with a few library books and folders. Then, nothing.
Shannon licked his lips and nibbled on them as a few giggle escaped his mouth. Wiping his cheeks, Shannon picked up his backpack, figuring that Jared would be fine outside for a few moments. Then, he heard the sniffling.
Shannon stopped in his tracks, his eyes wide. Without a second thought, he turned and opened the door. A pang went through his heart when he saw his baby brother curled up on the porch, sobbing.
“Baby Jay?” he whispered, stretching out a hand.
Watery, blue eyes peered up at him through thick eyelashes, a few wayward tears still making their way down his cheeks. Jared sniffled and wiped his nose on his denim sleeve. “You…You meanie!” he screamed.
Shannon frowned. Francis failed to tell him about the guilt he would feel afterwards. “I’m sorry,”
Jared hiccupped, his small chest heaving as he tried to breath, “Why?” he whispered, “Don’t you. . . love me anymore?”
Shannon pulled his baby brother into a tight embrace, “Of course I do Baby Jay. Francis said it was fun.”
Jared sniffled into Shannon’s chest, “Well. . . Francis is a big, fat meanie and you’re stupid for doing this and believing him.”
Shannon tried to feel insulted, but when Jared wrapped his arms around his waist, Shannon chose just to shake his hand and to ruffle the mop of brown that his brother called hair. “How about some cookies bro?”
Jared giggled and looked at him, “You mean, you haven’t eaten them all yet?”
Shannon stuck his tongue out, “I haven’t. . .” he brows furrowed, “At least, I think I didn’t.”
Jared laughed before reaching down to grab his backpack, “Come on Shan-Shan, I’m hungry!”
Shannon shook his head and chuckled before rushing after his brother, only to get the door slammed his face. Shannon blinked and tried the door. “What the-“ he muttered, “Jared! Jared! Let me in!”
-Older Shannon/Jared-
Jared covered a yawn as he and his brother trekked their way through the snow in Chicago, Illinois as they made their way back to the bus. The younger brother clutched his coat closer to his lithe body, desperate for warmth. Meanwhile, his older brother was content in a t-shirt and a leather jacket, the man whistling softly as they walked.
Jared let out a small cheer when he saw the bus, the man increasing his pace to get to the heat quicker. He heard Shannon chuckle behind him and merrily sent the older man a not-so-nice gesture over his shoulder in response.
“Oh come on Jay, it’s not that bad!”
“Fuck you!” retorted Jared, “Not all of us have all of that fat,”
Shannon scowled, “It’s not fat, its muscle.”
Jared smirked as he began to dig through his pockets, “Right Shan, you keep telling yourself that.”
Shannon flicked his brother off as he leaned against the bus, “Just hurry up and open the door. I need to take a piss.”
“Vaguer much?” muttered Jared as he continued to search for the key, “Damn it, where the hell did I put it? Did you grab your keys?”
Shannon rolled his eyes but patted his pockets, “. . . No.”
“Fuck,” spat Jared, who began pounding on the door, “That fucking Croatian better be awake.”
Shannon nodded and quickly speed-dialed the guitarist, “Come on Tomes, pick up, wake up.”
“Tomo!” shouted Jared, “Fucking asshole, let us in! Wake the hell up!”
“I don’t think that’s gonna work Jay,” muttered Shannon, “He can fucking sleep through a bomb.”
“Fuck, and I didn’t grab my wallet so we can go to get a hotel,” muttered Jared.
“Didn’t grab mine either,” replied Shannon, who took over the banging while Jared started calling Tomo.
“Ugh, this is bringing back bad memories,” Jared sighed as he redialed Tomo’s number, “Reminds me of that time you locked me out of the house.”
“Hey! One, you got back at me, and two, it wasn’t winter in the fucking Midwest!” Shannon defended.
Jared growled and looked around. The man smirked when he saw a rock and quickly ventured over to pick it up. Shannon raised an eyebrow at his seaming little brother, but followed the man to the other side of the bus. “He sleeps about here right?” Jared asked, pointing to a seemingly random part of the bus.
“Uh, sure?”
Jared chuckled and handed the stone to Shannon, “You have more strength than I do. Chuck it at that point, maybe he’ll wake up.”
Shannon looked at the rock and then back at the bus, “This is gonna leave a dent.”
“And I’m gonna die of hypothermia if I don’t get in there in five minutes!” shouted Jared.
“Drama queen,” muttered Shannon before throwing the stone.
A loud bang echoed throughout the area. The Leto brothers stood, listening. Silence.
Jared let out a string of curses and stomped his foot into the snow. Shannon sighed and leaned against the bus and took out a cigarette.
“Those things are gonna kill you.”
Shannon smirked and took a deep drag, “Nah, you’re gonna kill me long before these kill me.”
Jared stuck his tongue out before wrapped his arms around his abdomen. “How the hell are we gonna wake up this man?”
Shannon smirked and took out his cell phone. Jared cocked an eyebrow but walked over to stand beside his brother, subconsciously leaning towards the warmth. “Hey Vicki,” Shannon greeted, “Do you know if Tomo still has that special ringtone for you?. . . He does?. . . can you do me a favor? Jay and I are locked out and he won’t wake up. Would you call him please, see if that works? Thanks Vick!”
Shannon smirked, “Let’s see if this works,” he mused as he started to head to the door
Jared frowned but followed his older brother. A few minutes later, a disgruntled Tomo stood. “What the fuck?”
“Forgot our keys.” Quipped Shannon.
“There’s a dent in the door. . .” Tomo muttered.
“We knocked first, but apparently, you were dead to the fucking world.” Jared snapped as he quickly wrapped himself in a blanket.
Tomo raised his hands, “Sorry that some of us actually sleep around here.”
Jared growled and muttered something about a warm shower. Shannon chuckled and finished off his cigarette. “Night Tomes.” He said, heading to his own bunk.
Tomo rolled his eyes and ran a hand through his long hair, “Fucking Letos.”