Anger's a Lesser Disaster
Title: Anger's a Lesser Disaster
Type: Original
Pairing: none; gen
Word Count: ~900
Time: thirty minutes
Rating: PG-13 for language
Author's Note: Unbeta'd. Inspired by all_unwritten's 11/10/09 prompt.
Summary: "Collin can hear Cayden in the kitchen cooking something."
Collin can hear Cayden in the kitchen cooking something. He knows it'll be an absolute disaster, that he should be out there helping his twin, but Cayden offered to make Collin, Sarah and Peter dinner and give him a break for today.
Besides, Collin needs to work on this history paper. He hasn't done a single one this entire semester, and the teacher may like him because he can give an accurate timeline of Eastern Europe throughout World War II, but he's going to fail if he doesn't turn in at least one reason for the teacher to pass him.
He hears a crash, the unmistakable sound of glass shattering, and he's up from his desk in an instant.
"Hey," he says as he pushes through the door into the kitchen, crouching down beside Cayden to pick up the shattered glass cup, "are you okay?"
Cayden nods, picking up glass as fast as he can and dropping the pieces into an old grocery bag. "Yeah, I'm fine. Go back to your paper. I'll get all this."
Collin ignores him. "Don't pick up the pieces so fast, you'll cut yourself."
It's like a curse. The second he says it, a piece of glass slices right across Cayden's palm. Cayden squeaks in surprise, blood dripping onto the floor.
"Brats, that better not have been what I think it was," Peter's voice calls through the apartment, heavy footsteps hitting the wooden floor.
"If you're thinking it was the sound of your dreams being crushed, you're in luck," Collin snaps back, pulling Cayden's hand closer so he can get a good look at it.
"Collin," Cayden hisses, "just be quiet."
Collin gives Cayden a look, his brow furrowing. Cayden's been acting strangely lately when it comes to dealing with their step father. Collin hasn't been able to figure out why yet. Of course, he will, he just hasn't yet. Cayden will eventually spill or Collin will see what's happening for himself, but he'll find out either way.
Peter pushes through the door and scowls at them. "Shut up, smartass." He looks down at Cayden who hunches closer to Collin. "You idiot. This is just like you. We get nice shit, and you go and break it."
Peter's foot comes up then, and Collin suddenly gets why Cayden looks so afraid. He yanks Cayden closer to him, blocking the kick with his forearm. It's a solid hit, and Collin knows he's going to be bruised, but he doesn't care. He twists his arm and grabs Peter's ankle, jerking him down so he lands flat on his ass.
Collin is only fourteen. He's shorter and lighter than Peter, probably will be even when he's fully grown, so he knows he has to gain some sort of leverage quickly.
He releases Cayden, and scrambles through the glass to get to Peter before he can get up. He presses his knee into Peter's neck, trying not to look too pleased at the way Peter's face instantly goes red, his mouth gasping like a fish out of water. He catches Peter's thrashing hands and holds them as tightly as he can. Collin glowers down at him, moving his own face to be closer to Peter's. The man next to him, beneath him, is struggling for air, his eyes starting to look hazy like he's about to pass out. "If you ever touch him again, I'll kill you." He presses his knee down a little harder. "Do you understand me? I won't threaten you, I won't hurt you. I will flat out murder your sorry ass. Do you understand me?"
Peter jerks his head as best he can, still gasping uselessly.
Collin pushes Peter away from him, sneering. "Good."
Peter struggles to get up, gasping huge mouthfuls of air. "You little prick. You'll regret that." Then he's gone. Collin can hear him calling for Sarah, telling her that he's going to take her out to eat since she's his special girl to save face.
Collin looks back at Cayden. Cayden's eyes are impossibly wide; he's frozen and staring at Collin.
Collin sighs, tension releasing from his shoulders, and he takes Cayden's bleeding hand in his. He pulls Cayden up and guides him to the sink, turning on the faucet. "You okay?"
Cayden nods, his response stuttered. "Yeah."
Collin carefully picks the bits of glass from the cut, running it under the water. "You should have told me."
Cayden nods again, leaning a little against Collin's shoulder. "Sorry."
"Me too," Collin mutters, grabbing a dish towel and tying it around Cayden's hand. "Tell me if it ever happens again."
Cayden smiles up at him. "Okay."
Collin smiles a little in return. "Go get a broom and finish cleaning up the glass, and I'll start dinner, okay?"
Cayden squeezes his hand and goes.
Collin feels tired and angry and more than a little stupid, but it's okay. As long as Cayden's safe now, he can deal with everything else.
Type: Original
Pairing: none; gen
Word Count: ~900
Time: thirty minutes
Rating: PG-13 for language
Author's Note: Unbeta'd. Inspired by all_unwritten's 11/10/09 prompt.
Summary: "Collin can hear Cayden in the kitchen cooking something."
Collin can hear Cayden in the kitchen cooking something. He knows it'll be an absolute disaster, that he should be out there helping his twin, but Cayden offered to make Collin, Sarah and Peter dinner and give him a break for today.
Besides, Collin needs to work on this history paper. He hasn't done a single one this entire semester, and the teacher may like him because he can give an accurate timeline of Eastern Europe throughout World War II, but he's going to fail if he doesn't turn in at least one reason for the teacher to pass him.
He hears a crash, the unmistakable sound of glass shattering, and he's up from his desk in an instant.
"Hey," he says as he pushes through the door into the kitchen, crouching down beside Cayden to pick up the shattered glass cup, "are you okay?"
Cayden nods, picking up glass as fast as he can and dropping the pieces into an old grocery bag. "Yeah, I'm fine. Go back to your paper. I'll get all this."
Collin ignores him. "Don't pick up the pieces so fast, you'll cut yourself."
It's like a curse. The second he says it, a piece of glass slices right across Cayden's palm. Cayden squeaks in surprise, blood dripping onto the floor.
"Brats, that better not have been what I think it was," Peter's voice calls through the apartment, heavy footsteps hitting the wooden floor.
"If you're thinking it was the sound of your dreams being crushed, you're in luck," Collin snaps back, pulling Cayden's hand closer so he can get a good look at it.
"Collin," Cayden hisses, "just be quiet."
Collin gives Cayden a look, his brow furrowing. Cayden's been acting strangely lately when it comes to dealing with their step father. Collin hasn't been able to figure out why yet. Of course, he will, he just hasn't yet. Cayden will eventually spill or Collin will see what's happening for himself, but he'll find out either way.
Peter pushes through the door and scowls at them. "Shut up, smartass." He looks down at Cayden who hunches closer to Collin. "You idiot. This is just like you. We get nice shit, and you go and break it."
Peter's foot comes up then, and Collin suddenly gets why Cayden looks so afraid. He yanks Cayden closer to him, blocking the kick with his forearm. It's a solid hit, and Collin knows he's going to be bruised, but he doesn't care. He twists his arm and grabs Peter's ankle, jerking him down so he lands flat on his ass.
Collin is only fourteen. He's shorter and lighter than Peter, probably will be even when he's fully grown, so he knows he has to gain some sort of leverage quickly.
He releases Cayden, and scrambles through the glass to get to Peter before he can get up. He presses his knee into Peter's neck, trying not to look too pleased at the way Peter's face instantly goes red, his mouth gasping like a fish out of water. He catches Peter's thrashing hands and holds them as tightly as he can. Collin glowers down at him, moving his own face to be closer to Peter's. The man next to him, beneath him, is struggling for air, his eyes starting to look hazy like he's about to pass out. "If you ever touch him again, I'll kill you." He presses his knee down a little harder. "Do you understand me? I won't threaten you, I won't hurt you. I will flat out murder your sorry ass. Do you understand me?"
Peter jerks his head as best he can, still gasping uselessly.
Collin pushes Peter away from him, sneering. "Good."
Peter struggles to get up, gasping huge mouthfuls of air. "You little prick. You'll regret that." Then he's gone. Collin can hear him calling for Sarah, telling her that he's going to take her out to eat since she's his special girl to save face.
Collin looks back at Cayden. Cayden's eyes are impossibly wide; he's frozen and staring at Collin.
Collin sighs, tension releasing from his shoulders, and he takes Cayden's bleeding hand in his. He pulls Cayden up and guides him to the sink, turning on the faucet. "You okay?"
Cayden nods, his response stuttered. "Yeah."
Collin carefully picks the bits of glass from the cut, running it under the water. "You should have told me."
Cayden nods again, leaning a little against Collin's shoulder. "Sorry."
"Me too," Collin mutters, grabbing a dish towel and tying it around Cayden's hand. "Tell me if it ever happens again."
Cayden smiles up at him. "Okay."
Collin smiles a little in return. "Go get a broom and finish cleaning up the glass, and I'll start dinner, okay?"
Cayden squeezes his hand and goes.
Collin feels tired and angry and more than a little stupid, but it's okay. As long as Cayden's safe now, he can deal with everything else.