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Naiee didn’t even hear him enter the room. He had gone upstairs some time ago following an unpleasant tiff between him and Naia. The younger boy had not followed up on a chore he was supposed to do, and when he attempted to explain himself, try to make it right on his part, his brother only got more annoyed at him. The blonde sighed. Naia was beyond reasoning when he was irked, so Naiee didn’t bother trying with him. No matter. The brunette would come out of it on his own. He was just tired from his shift at work. He’d better later in the evening. Or if not that, then in the morning hopefully.
He skipped lunch and went upstairs to lie down for a while. He wasn’t hungry anyways. He crawled into bed, and soon drifted off, not dreaming much of anything. Some flashes of color here and there, but mostly a black abyss occupied his mind. He was really tired.
It wasn’t long before he felt the weight shift in the mattress. Something warm pressed up against him. Naiee stirred only a little. He turned on his side, pulling his blanket up further on him. Instead of the thin blanket however, an arm pulled him close. Now the boy’s eyes cracked open somewhat.
“Hm?” He turned around, in a daze. Before he could say anything, someone had pressed their forehead to his own. “… Naia?” He was the only one who did that. It was a habit their late mother used to do with them, when she held them close.
Naiee had a faint memory when he was very, very small, when his mom held him in her arms. It wasn’t kisses that met his forehead, or anything of the like. It was touching her forehead to his own. She felt close, warm, and soft. Naia maintained that form of closeness after she died. He didn’t have to, but he did.
“Shh. Go back to sleep.”
“Did- Dad need help or-“
“No Naiee. Just sleep.”
“I-okay.” Too tired to make any sense of why Naia had crawled into bed with him the boy laid back down again, safely tucked underneath the older boy’s arm. He drifted off again, but this time feeling a little warmer. His dreams were tinted blue around the corners. Soft and light. They both slept very soundly, for a long while. Until the evening or so. When Naiee stirred again, it was a bit darker in his room, no rays of orange or red sifting through his curtains. He turned, to see his brother still knocked out beside him, still holding him close.
But as if on cue, whether it was the way Naiee breathed, or if he had been too quiet, the older boy’s eyes opened. Dark pupils met light ones.
“Uh- sorry. Didn’t mean to wake you.” The blonde said, kind of feeling like a deer in headlights. A small smile tugged on the corners of Naia’s lips.
“I could feel your stare.” The older boy answered, scooting closer to him. Their noses were almost touching now.
“How?” Naiee raised a brow.
“Just could.”
Naiee sighed, turning fully onto his side now. “You sleep okay?”
“Yes. Very well actually. What about you?”
“Dead. Deader than a doornail. I don’t remember anything.” It was true. Aside from when Naia crawled into bed with him, Naiee really couldn’t recall anything else. The brunette smiled, patting the blonde’s shoulder.
“That’s good. Sounded like you needed the rest.”
“Probably won’t sleep tonight. I always sleep weird if I’ve taken a long nap.”
“That’s okay.” Naia assured. “We can watch a movie or something.”
“That sounds fun.”
“… Um. Sorry.”
The younger boy paused, almost straining to hear the apology. “What?”
“Sorry. About before.” Naia let out, eyes looking downward. “I was a jerk. I shouldn’t have gotten in your face about the laundry.”
“Nah, don’t worry about it.” Naiee quickly reassured. “You were just tired that’s all.” So that’s why the brunette was so close and intimate with him. He felt bad.
“No, I was mean. You didn’t mean to forget.”
“Don’t worry Naia. I’m not mad. Really. It’s okay.”
Naia was still for a moment, an unreadable look in his eyes. Naiee only took note of how dark they actually were up close. Like two dark lakes, during the night. A slight twinkle to them, but still concealing what lay in the depths. The older boy held the younger boy’s hand in his own, intertwining their fingers.
“… Naiee?”
“Yeah?”
“Don’t grow up, okay?”
The younger boy raised a brow, confused. “Why?”
“Just don’t. Stay little.”
“Forever?”
“Yes. Forever.”
Naiee could only laugh, “Don’t you want me to be big and strong someday too?”
Naia shook his head. “No.”
“How come?”
“Cause that’s my job. Being the big and strong one. I don’t want you to worry about anything.”
“Naia I’m not gonna not grow. I’m ten. I’m gonna be your age at some point.”
“No. Not gonna happen.” The older boy insisted, quite defiantly.
“Okay, okay you win. I’ll be short for the rest of my life then. Tiny. Like an ant.” Naiee sighed, too tired to argue with him for him to see his point. Let the brunette have his way.
Naia grinned. “That’s okay. I’ll put you on my shoulder.”
“Right, because being carried around like a princess everywhere is going to be a great existence.” Naiee replied.
“Who says I can’t?”
Naiee could only glare at him (all in good fun of course) indignantly. “Oh my- is THAT what you fantasize about?”
“… maybe.” Came the soft reply.
“Okay that’s it!” The blonde kicked the covers off and started tickling the other, to which Naia squirmed, trying to jolt away.
“Hey, hey let’s talk about this Naiee-“ The other tried to plead for mercy.
“I’m not taking this lying down Naia your gonna- ACK!” Soon he felt Naia’s hands jab into his sides. His weakest spots. It wasn’t long before the pair were wrestling onto the ground, in a fit of giggles and laughter, trying to usurp the other.
“I… Refuse… to give in!!” Naiee howled, trying to get out from beneath his brother.
“You shall!”
“I shall not!!”
“… Um boys?”
The pair froze, glancing up to the doorway. Their father stood in the doorway, hands on his hips, and the barest hint of a smile on his face. He was quite amused by the scene before him.
“Dad!! It was him! He started it!!” Naiee pointed to the older boy.
“Um, actually it was you that started it, I had nothing to do with it-“
“You jerk you called me a pretty princess!”
“I never called you that I was just saying-“
“That I’m oh so delicate?” Naiee batted his eyelashes at the other.
“Kind of. Yes.” Naia grinned.
“Oh and I suppose you’re prince charming then.”
“If you want me to be.”
“Boys.” The pair looked up to their father, who still had his hands on his hips. “I don’t mean to interrupt anything but, keep it down to a small roar please?”
“… Sorry dad. My bad.” Naiee apologized. “… Naia started it though.”
“Oh for the love of god-!!”