(no subject)
"Brother!"
The voice from the other side of the door startled Russell awake. He bolted upright and rubbed the indentation in his face that he had gotten from napping on top of a book.
"Did you fall asleep over your research again, brother?"
Russell hastily pushed his hair out of his eyes and stood up, walking over to the door. There was no point in denying it, Fletcher would know he was lying anyway.
"Doesn't matter, I'm awake now," Russell said as he opened the door. "What is it?"
"Dinner's ready...and I know you skipped breakfast and lunch because everything was where I left it this morning."
"Fletcher, you know how important this research is and if I don't finish it..." Russell paused at the look on his younger brother's face. "I'm sorry for ignoring you so much, I really am, but once I become a state alchemist everything will be better."
"I know, brother," Fletcher said quietly, "I'm just worried about you."
Russell grinned and ruffled Fletcher's hair as they headed toward the kitchen. "Don't be, I'll be fine."
Fletcher ducked away from Russell, "Brother! You know I hate it when you do that!" but Fletcher was smiling as usual and Russell figured he should take a break anyway, he had a long night ahead of him.
"We'll be able to start the experiment tomorrow, if I have everything set properly."
Fletcher placed the plates of food on the table in front of them. He was quiet for a moment as they sat down.
"It's going to be another all-nighter, then?" Fletcher asked quietly, not accusing, just curious.
Russell raised his eyebrows at Fletcher. "Of course. I've got a bit of last minute things to work on."
"Right."
Even though Fletcher didn't show it, Russell knew that Fletcher didn't approve of the all night research sessions. He had already had them three nights in a row now.
They ate in silence with the occaisional meaowing of Puffy as she curled around their ankles looking for treats.
"I'll get these," Fletcher said as Russell stood up to help him clear the table. "Better let you get back to work," and though his shoulders were a bit slumped as he turned his back to Russell, he sounded quite cheerful.
Russell hesitated, feeling guilty about letting his brother do all the chores that Fletcher never complained about doing.
"It's fine, you have more important things to do," Fletcher smiled sincerely as he turned to look at his brother.
As Russell went back to his room, he told himself that after he became a state alchemist, things would be much easier for the both of them. They would have a steady income and more money to spend on research. The search for the cure for the red water disease was at a standstill right now and Russell hoped that the experiment they planned to start tomorrow would help greatly.
Russell sighed and opened the door to his room.
The voice from the other side of the door startled Russell awake. He bolted upright and rubbed the indentation in his face that he had gotten from napping on top of a book.
"Did you fall asleep over your research again, brother?"
Russell hastily pushed his hair out of his eyes and stood up, walking over to the door. There was no point in denying it, Fletcher would know he was lying anyway.
"Doesn't matter, I'm awake now," Russell said as he opened the door. "What is it?"
"Dinner's ready...and I know you skipped breakfast and lunch because everything was where I left it this morning."
"Fletcher, you know how important this research is and if I don't finish it..." Russell paused at the look on his younger brother's face. "I'm sorry for ignoring you so much, I really am, but once I become a state alchemist everything will be better."
"I know, brother," Fletcher said quietly, "I'm just worried about you."
Russell grinned and ruffled Fletcher's hair as they headed toward the kitchen. "Don't be, I'll be fine."
Fletcher ducked away from Russell, "Brother! You know I hate it when you do that!" but Fletcher was smiling as usual and Russell figured he should take a break anyway, he had a long night ahead of him.
"We'll be able to start the experiment tomorrow, if I have everything set properly."
Fletcher placed the plates of food on the table in front of them. He was quiet for a moment as they sat down.
"It's going to be another all-nighter, then?" Fletcher asked quietly, not accusing, just curious.
Russell raised his eyebrows at Fletcher. "Of course. I've got a bit of last minute things to work on."
"Right."
Even though Fletcher didn't show it, Russell knew that Fletcher didn't approve of the all night research sessions. He had already had them three nights in a row now.
They ate in silence with the occaisional meaowing of Puffy as she curled around their ankles looking for treats.
"I'll get these," Fletcher said as Russell stood up to help him clear the table. "Better let you get back to work," and though his shoulders were a bit slumped as he turned his back to Russell, he sounded quite cheerful.
Russell hesitated, feeling guilty about letting his brother do all the chores that Fletcher never complained about doing.
"It's fine, you have more important things to do," Fletcher smiled sincerely as he turned to look at his brother.
As Russell went back to his room, he told himself that after he became a state alchemist, things would be much easier for the both of them. They would have a steady income and more money to spend on research. The search for the cure for the red water disease was at a standstill right now and Russell hoped that the experiment they planned to start tomorrow would help greatly.
Russell sighed and opened the door to his room.