Everything That Mattered - Chapter 6
Title: Everything That Mattered (6/21)
Pairing: Caspian/Edmund
Rating: PG-13
Summary: There was always something there, some feeling that Edmund had always acknowledged. As the feeling escalates, he and Caspian find themselves swept into something that neither of them had ever dared to dream of before.
A/N: Thanks for all the lovely reviews! :D
Notes: Thanks to my awesome beta xxlucyferxx for kicking my arse into gear. :)
( Chapter 1: 'A Fool's Hope' ) ( Chapter 2: 'Stubborn Man' ) ( Chapter 3: 'A Walk In The Park' ) ( Chapter 4: 'Closer' )( Chapter 5: 'High King Peter the Overprotective' )
Chapter 6: ‘Be Civil, Peter!’
Sitting at the dinner table, Edmund found himself gripping his fork tighter than was necessary. He continued to eat his meal, unsure of what it was and not actually caring. He had spent the afternoon in his room and had finally decided to emerge to eat dinner, and then he had every intention of going back there.
He was sick of it. Sick of the arguments, sick of the fighting and utterly fed-up with both of the other kings’ behaviour. He pushed his laden fork into his mouth, chewing mechanically, refusing to look up from his plate. He could feel both Peter’s and Caspian’s gazes on him, and he felt like screaming at the top of his lungs, smashing some plates and then upturning the table for good measure. But he didn’t, because he was proud to say that he had some semblance of self-control.
“Edmund, would you like a drink?” Lucy asked, bright smile on her face. Edmund could not stop himself from smiling back at her. Dear, sweet Lucy, always the balm that soothed the wounds.
“Yes, thank you, Lu.” She poured him a drink of juice, then poured herself one too. She picked it up and drank it, throwing him an impish smile as she did so.
He picked up his own goblet, examining the fine pictures that had been engraved in it. It was of Telmarine design, and showed Telmarine people and customs. He assumed that their previous fear of the wood would have prevented them from making anything nature-related.
“You’re all very quiet this evening,” Lucy said again, her brow furrowing as she examined Peter and Caspian’s bruises, and Edmund’s silence.
“Leave it, Lu,” Susan said softly. “Have a potato.” She spooned one onto Lucy’s plate, glancing at the three kings. Peter scowled, Caspian grimaced and Edmund
simply stabbed his steak with more force than necessary.
Time passed, and Edmund eventually found himself putting a randomly selected dessert on his plate and putting spoonful after spoonful in his mouth. He directed all of his attention to his dessert and pushed it around his plate, taking periodic mouthfuls.
“Don’t play with your food, Ed,” Susan scolded. He looked up at her blankly, then pushed his plate away, folding his arms moodily.
He was relieved when dinner finally ended and he quickly retreated back to his room. He sat down on the windowsill, staring out at his beloved Narnia. Its beauty felt mocking to him and he shut his eyes, resting his head against the glass.
A knock resounded through his room, and he turned to face the door, calling, “Enter.”
Into the room walked a nervous-looking Peter, standing a good distance away and shuffling his feet, looking considerably less than magnificent.
“Erm, hi, Ed,” he began awkwardly.
“What?” was Edmund’s blunt reply. He turned to face the window again, staring out at the night sky.
“We need to talk about what happened today. We… well, I, messed up.”
“Yes, you did.”
“Just… why? Why him? And why you?”
Edmund turned abruptly, facing his brother, anger flashing across his pale face. “What do you mean ‘why me’?”
“You’re Ed, you’re not supposed to have suitors.”
“So Susan can have suitors, but because I’m me, I’m not allowed to?”
“Susan always gets suitors so-”
“And I can’t? Is it impossible to believe that someone loves me?”
“That’s just it, Ed,” Peter said mournfully, “He doesn’t. He said it himself - he just wants you. I can’t stand by and watch him hurt you!”
“That wasn’t what he meant, Pete, and you know it.”
“How do you know what he meant? And why Caspian of all people? Why did you choose him?”
“I don’t owe you any explanations.”
“But I’d appreciate them, all the same.”
Edmund gave Peter a calculating look. His brother was no longer furious, but bitterness seeped off him. He was looking at Edmund like a desperate man, his eyes begging him to tell him that it wasn’t true; that it couldn’t be.
“I care about him, Pete. I don’t know when it happened, or why. I just do.”
Peter began to pace, one hand covering his face, shooting Edmund glances repeatedly. Edmund just turned to look out the window, his jaw clenched tightly.
“I hate him, Ed,” Peter growled. “How dare he even consider laying his hands on you?”
“It’s not your decision to make!” Edmund snapped, whirling around, anger glazing in his dark eyes. “You may be the High King, but you cannot control me. I’ll make my own decisions!”
“Cannot? Cannot? Edmund Pevensie, I’m you’re older brother and you will not go near that man again!”
“Why are you trying to stop this? I can’t remember the last time I felt this happy! Why are you taking it away from me?” Edmund screamed. His eyes widened as he realised what he had revealed and he bit his lip, refusing to look at Peter. He had tried so hard not to let it show, and in one moment he’d ruined it. When they’d returned to Finchley, his mother had expected him to still be the venomous little boy that had left. His father had returned from the war, not understanding why his youngest son didn’t confide in him anymore. He missed Narnia desperately, and he lay in bed at night, listening as his siblings cried, unable to find the words to comfort them. In Narnia, his love for Caspian had made itself known, and Caspian appeared to return his feelings. Now, on the brink of one of the best things he had ever experienced, Peter was stealing it from him.
“Ed,” Peter said, sadness filling his blue eyes as all the fight left him. He hesitated for a moment, and then in two strides he was at Edmund’s side, giving him a bear hug. Edmund returned it after a moment, relief washing over him. He had forgotten his brother’s compassionate nature, it seemed.
Pulling back, Peter looked at him earnestly, determination shining in his eyes. “Ed, I don’t like Caspian, and I’m jolly well sure I never will. But as long as he makes you happy and takes good care of you, it’s all right, I suppose.”
Edmund smiled at him. “Thanks, Pete. It means a lot. So you’ll be civil now?”
“Yes, but no more than civil,” Peter sniffed. “Don’t think that we’ll be bosom buddies now that he’s your boyfriend. I’ll be keeping a very close eye on the two of you, mark my words. No hanky-panky for you, young man.”
Edmund just laughed, smiling happily. If Peter remained as civil as possible, he thought he could handle the two kings, though not without difficulty, he was sure. Civility and friendliness were very different things, after all.
Pairing: Caspian/Edmund
Rating: PG-13
Summary: There was always something there, some feeling that Edmund had always acknowledged. As the feeling escalates, he and Caspian find themselves swept into something that neither of them had ever dared to dream of before.
A/N: Thanks for all the lovely reviews! :D
Notes: Thanks to my awesome beta xxlucyferxx for kicking my arse into gear. :)
( Chapter 1: 'A Fool's Hope' ) ( Chapter 2: 'Stubborn Man' ) ( Chapter 3: 'A Walk In The Park' ) ( Chapter 4: 'Closer' )( Chapter 5: 'High King Peter the Overprotective' )
Chapter 6: ‘Be Civil, Peter!’
Sitting at the dinner table, Edmund found himself gripping his fork tighter than was necessary. He continued to eat his meal, unsure of what it was and not actually caring. He had spent the afternoon in his room and had finally decided to emerge to eat dinner, and then he had every intention of going back there.
He was sick of it. Sick of the arguments, sick of the fighting and utterly fed-up with both of the other kings’ behaviour. He pushed his laden fork into his mouth, chewing mechanically, refusing to look up from his plate. He could feel both Peter’s and Caspian’s gazes on him, and he felt like screaming at the top of his lungs, smashing some plates and then upturning the table for good measure. But he didn’t, because he was proud to say that he had some semblance of self-control.
“Edmund, would you like a drink?” Lucy asked, bright smile on her face. Edmund could not stop himself from smiling back at her. Dear, sweet Lucy, always the balm that soothed the wounds.
“Yes, thank you, Lu.” She poured him a drink of juice, then poured herself one too. She picked it up and drank it, throwing him an impish smile as she did so.
He picked up his own goblet, examining the fine pictures that had been engraved in it. It was of Telmarine design, and showed Telmarine people and customs. He assumed that their previous fear of the wood would have prevented them from making anything nature-related.
“You’re all very quiet this evening,” Lucy said again, her brow furrowing as she examined Peter and Caspian’s bruises, and Edmund’s silence.
“Leave it, Lu,” Susan said softly. “Have a potato.” She spooned one onto Lucy’s plate, glancing at the three kings. Peter scowled, Caspian grimaced and Edmund
simply stabbed his steak with more force than necessary.
Time passed, and Edmund eventually found himself putting a randomly selected dessert on his plate and putting spoonful after spoonful in his mouth. He directed all of his attention to his dessert and pushed it around his plate, taking periodic mouthfuls.
“Don’t play with your food, Ed,” Susan scolded. He looked up at her blankly, then pushed his plate away, folding his arms moodily.
He was relieved when dinner finally ended and he quickly retreated back to his room. He sat down on the windowsill, staring out at his beloved Narnia. Its beauty felt mocking to him and he shut his eyes, resting his head against the glass.
A knock resounded through his room, and he turned to face the door, calling, “Enter.”
Into the room walked a nervous-looking Peter, standing a good distance away and shuffling his feet, looking considerably less than magnificent.
“Erm, hi, Ed,” he began awkwardly.
“What?” was Edmund’s blunt reply. He turned to face the window again, staring out at the night sky.
“We need to talk about what happened today. We… well, I, messed up.”
“Yes, you did.”
“Just… why? Why him? And why you?”
Edmund turned abruptly, facing his brother, anger flashing across his pale face. “What do you mean ‘why me’?”
“You’re Ed, you’re not supposed to have suitors.”
“So Susan can have suitors, but because I’m me, I’m not allowed to?”
“Susan always gets suitors so-”
“And I can’t? Is it impossible to believe that someone loves me?”
“That’s just it, Ed,” Peter said mournfully, “He doesn’t. He said it himself - he just wants you. I can’t stand by and watch him hurt you!”
“That wasn’t what he meant, Pete, and you know it.”
“How do you know what he meant? And why Caspian of all people? Why did you choose him?”
“I don’t owe you any explanations.”
“But I’d appreciate them, all the same.”
Edmund gave Peter a calculating look. His brother was no longer furious, but bitterness seeped off him. He was looking at Edmund like a desperate man, his eyes begging him to tell him that it wasn’t true; that it couldn’t be.
“I care about him, Pete. I don’t know when it happened, or why. I just do.”
Peter began to pace, one hand covering his face, shooting Edmund glances repeatedly. Edmund just turned to look out the window, his jaw clenched tightly.
“I hate him, Ed,” Peter growled. “How dare he even consider laying his hands on you?”
“It’s not your decision to make!” Edmund snapped, whirling around, anger glazing in his dark eyes. “You may be the High King, but you cannot control me. I’ll make my own decisions!”
“Cannot? Cannot? Edmund Pevensie, I’m you’re older brother and you will not go near that man again!”
“Why are you trying to stop this? I can’t remember the last time I felt this happy! Why are you taking it away from me?” Edmund screamed. His eyes widened as he realised what he had revealed and he bit his lip, refusing to look at Peter. He had tried so hard not to let it show, and in one moment he’d ruined it. When they’d returned to Finchley, his mother had expected him to still be the venomous little boy that had left. His father had returned from the war, not understanding why his youngest son didn’t confide in him anymore. He missed Narnia desperately, and he lay in bed at night, listening as his siblings cried, unable to find the words to comfort them. In Narnia, his love for Caspian had made itself known, and Caspian appeared to return his feelings. Now, on the brink of one of the best things he had ever experienced, Peter was stealing it from him.
“Ed,” Peter said, sadness filling his blue eyes as all the fight left him. He hesitated for a moment, and then in two strides he was at Edmund’s side, giving him a bear hug. Edmund returned it after a moment, relief washing over him. He had forgotten his brother’s compassionate nature, it seemed.
Pulling back, Peter looked at him earnestly, determination shining in his eyes. “Ed, I don’t like Caspian, and I’m jolly well sure I never will. But as long as he makes you happy and takes good care of you, it’s all right, I suppose.”
Edmund smiled at him. “Thanks, Pete. It means a lot. So you’ll be civil now?”
“Yes, but no more than civil,” Peter sniffed. “Don’t think that we’ll be bosom buddies now that he’s your boyfriend. I’ll be keeping a very close eye on the two of you, mark my words. No hanky-panky for you, young man.”
Edmund just laughed, smiling happily. If Peter remained as civil as possible, he thought he could handle the two kings, though not without difficulty, he was sure. Civility and friendliness were very different things, after all.