Lost and Found.
Title: Lost and Found
Rating: G
Genre: Fluff
Pairing: Will/Jake
Summary: The things Jake missed, and some unspoken worries.
Disclaimer: I don't own anything except my own ideas.
The cottage of the Grimms was located a distance from the centre of attention of the town. Away from the buzzing activity of the shops and merchants and even from the clusters of cottages sprinkled around the area, it tended more toward the forest surrounding the town, more foreign and neglected than familiar; isolated and almost forgotten. In the spring it wasn’t so bad, as there was a rough-cut path that showed the way to the cottage door, but when winter came and covered the path under a blanket of snow there was no indication at all that the cottage ever existed.
To Jake, being in the house on a winter’s night had never felt so lonely. It was dark and the icy wind was chilling him to the bone. Though there was a fire not too far from the open door it was but a feeble thing, more light than heat, but then again with it around he still could barely see three feet in front of him; darkness took the rest.
He rubbed his hands together, trying to keep warm, looking around nervously. The darkness didn’t matter much; it was the silence that unnerved him. In the past the nights were always filled with comforting noises-Lotte’s giggles, Mother singing lullabies, her voice commanding the boys to get back in bed or retelling the strange tales she’d heard-but now, for the first time, there was an empty silence, all the cheerfulness, once there, was gone forever and the brothers were alone. Jake badly missed last year’s winter; he could still painfully remember Mother’s kiss goodnight as she had tucked him into bed.
He would have been scribbling away, head bowed and forgetting his surroundings like he always did, but this time he couldn’t. Jake sighed and his heart sank once again as he recounted how foolish and careless he had been this morning, experimenting on a new route from the centre of town back home and getting lost in the process. When he had finally made his way home-horror of horrors!-he had lost his only quill! He had redoubled on the trail but it was in vain. He was certain it was missing for good. Anguished and upset, he glared at the aggravatingly blank pages of his journal, with ideas running wild in his mind but going nowhere with nothing to bring them to reality. Not having a quill to write with was akin to having a mouth that couldn’t speak; if he didn’t find an alternative soon he reckoned he would undoubtedly go mad. Will wasn’t sympathetic towards his suffering, preferring instead to brush it off as ‘something the dreamer should have seen coming’.
Resigned and bitter, he put away his journal and peered into the house. Will was inside but Jake couldn’t see him though he squinted, trying to pierce the unyielding darkness. Jake could hear him though: the sound of ruffling papers, of unknown bulky things being moved. Will had said he was looking for something but he didn’t say anything more. As Jake looked on his brother rummaging among the old things he wondered if Will needed some light. A torch would help, he thought, and surely he could find a short branch on the ground, but before he could ask there was a chink of glass, a startled yelp and then a resounding crash from within that alarmed him.
‘Will!’ Jake craned his neck from where he stood but still he could see nothing. Worry made his heart pound-the crash had sounded awfully loud and he couldn’t bear to see his brother hurt-but before he could rush into the house a shout from Will stopped him.
‘Don’t come in here!’
With that Jake reluctantly contented with hovering at the doorway, though his mind argued otherwise. He knew better to disregard that statement: Will would ask for help if he really needed it, and Jake running up to him would only be rebuked for getting in the way, as usual.
‘Are you okay?’ Jake hollered instead through cupped hands. ‘Do you need-’
‘I’m fine,’ came the curt reply as Will strode out from the dark, brushing dust off his clothes and holding what seemed like a roll of old parchment in his left hand.
‘Don’t go in there,’ he muttered, ‘I think I broke the mirror.’ He took in Jake’s concerned look and added ‘No, I’m not injured.’
Jake breathed a sigh of relief but it quickly turned to surprise when his brother announced he would be going out for short time.
‘Now, Will?’ Jake gazed at him, apprehensive. Beyond the house the surroundings looked dark and forbidding; he could barely see the town obstructed by bare trees but that wasn’t what unnerved him most. Recently he had heard rumours of people going about late at night who had mysteriously disappeared and none of the missing had ever been found, not to mention tales of bloodthirsty beasts lurking in the night that made him shiver and wish more than ever for the both of them to stay here till morning-light. Will wouldn’t believe any of this ‘nonsense’ so he didn’t dare speak his mind. ‘But wouldn’t it be too dark-what are you doing?’
‘Making a torch,’ he answered, wrapping strips of cloth around a long piece of wood. When Jake looked ill at ease Will ruffled his brother’s hair affectionately. ‘Don’t worry about it; I won’t be gone for long. I’ll finish what I have to do and I’ll be back as quickly as I can.’
It sounded so simple, but then again, Jake couldn’t help wondering why his brother would choose to go out during the night, where it was impossible to distinguish from where one was going to a tree nearby.
‘You aren’t going away and leaving me, right?’ Instantly after the words had slipped out Jake was left embarrassed. He always had the nagging thought stored away among the ‘what if’s and ‘maybe’s that Will didn’t like him much. While Will was capable of anything Jake was…not as useful. Will had successfully kept them alive since Mother died but in these times Jake had not much to claim credit for. He was always the timid one and constantly getting lost and losing things. On some days he was fearful that Will would decide to go solo and abandon him for good, and it made him very depressed and teary.
Will’s reaction was immediate. ‘Have you gone thoroughly insane? Where did you get that idea from?’ He demanded, gripping a startled Jake’s shoulders and preventing him from turning away.
‘I…I just thought…’ Jake stammered and petered out, refusing to look his brother in the eye. He winced slightly; Will was stronger than he thought. ‘…Can you let me go, Will? You’re hurting me.’
‘Sorry.’ His grip relaxed but he regarded Jake seriously. ‘I don’t know where you get that notion but no, I’m not leaving you. Not now, not ever.’ Breaking tension as Jake looked calmer, he smiled wearily. ‘I’ll be here always. You know I don’t lie.’
Jake raised a doubtful eyebrow at that and Will frowned before adding ‘At least, not often to you. Believe me, alright?’
Jake looked uncomfortable, swallowed and slowly nodded, as if it took him a while to believe that. Frankly, he wanted to.
‘Well, if there isn’t anything else I’ll see you in the morning. You’ll be fine: just stick close to home.’ Will lit the torch, patted his brother’s shoulder in what he hoped was an assuring manner and trudged into the woods. Jake watched him anxiously till he and the torch were out of sight.
I’ll be here always.
Jake lay on his back, close to the fire, thinking hard, long after Will had disappeared into the night. He didn’t know what exactly was troubling him but somehow Will’s words, trapped in his head, went around in circles. Did always mean forever, and did forever mean eternity? But that would be impossible, Jake thought sullenly. Eternity was too long, far too much a time. They would grow up and pursue different passions, marry different people (obviously) and travel places. That seemed like a long way for a twelve-year-old but Jake was unsure why he was so bothered.
How along would an ‘always’ last? A year? Two years? A decade? Maybe he ought to ask Will. Maybe not, as it sounded like a stupid question.
He rolled over on his side, watching the fire dance. He would feel so lost and confused without him. Would Will really stay forever? He didn’t think so, but since he’d said it vocally did it mean anything more?
He had decided to stay up till his brother returned but how much time had passed since Will’s departure? It had seemed like hours and the night certainly looked darker, the stars brighter and sleep felt more inviting…
When Jake woke up in the morning next to something warm and breathing he found Will curled up in slumber next to him, with specks of snow in his hair and on his clothes. The sight of him reassured Jake immensely but he couldn’t help wondering where had his brother been all night. The fire had burned out, leaving only traces of ash.
Jake stood up, stretched and reached out for his journal but something made him pause and a smile tugged on his lips for the first time since last night.
The yellowed parchment in Will’s hands last night now lay open, strewn carelessly on top of the journal. It was an ancient map of the town and the surrounding regions-Jake didn’t think it was still in production-but that wasn’t more important that what he saw sandwiched between two pages of his journal, slightly damp from melting snow and streaked with dirt.
His beloved quill.
Rating: G
Genre: Fluff
Pairing: Will/Jake
Summary: The things Jake missed, and some unspoken worries.
Disclaimer: I don't own anything except my own ideas.
The cottage of the Grimms was located a distance from the centre of attention of the town. Away from the buzzing activity of the shops and merchants and even from the clusters of cottages sprinkled around the area, it tended more toward the forest surrounding the town, more foreign and neglected than familiar; isolated and almost forgotten. In the spring it wasn’t so bad, as there was a rough-cut path that showed the way to the cottage door, but when winter came and covered the path under a blanket of snow there was no indication at all that the cottage ever existed.
To Jake, being in the house on a winter’s night had never felt so lonely. It was dark and the icy wind was chilling him to the bone. Though there was a fire not too far from the open door it was but a feeble thing, more light than heat, but then again with it around he still could barely see three feet in front of him; darkness took the rest.
He rubbed his hands together, trying to keep warm, looking around nervously. The darkness didn’t matter much; it was the silence that unnerved him. In the past the nights were always filled with comforting noises-Lotte’s giggles, Mother singing lullabies, her voice commanding the boys to get back in bed or retelling the strange tales she’d heard-but now, for the first time, there was an empty silence, all the cheerfulness, once there, was gone forever and the brothers were alone. Jake badly missed last year’s winter; he could still painfully remember Mother’s kiss goodnight as she had tucked him into bed.
He would have been scribbling away, head bowed and forgetting his surroundings like he always did, but this time he couldn’t. Jake sighed and his heart sank once again as he recounted how foolish and careless he had been this morning, experimenting on a new route from the centre of town back home and getting lost in the process. When he had finally made his way home-horror of horrors!-he had lost his only quill! He had redoubled on the trail but it was in vain. He was certain it was missing for good. Anguished and upset, he glared at the aggravatingly blank pages of his journal, with ideas running wild in his mind but going nowhere with nothing to bring them to reality. Not having a quill to write with was akin to having a mouth that couldn’t speak; if he didn’t find an alternative soon he reckoned he would undoubtedly go mad. Will wasn’t sympathetic towards his suffering, preferring instead to brush it off as ‘something the dreamer should have seen coming’.
Resigned and bitter, he put away his journal and peered into the house. Will was inside but Jake couldn’t see him though he squinted, trying to pierce the unyielding darkness. Jake could hear him though: the sound of ruffling papers, of unknown bulky things being moved. Will had said he was looking for something but he didn’t say anything more. As Jake looked on his brother rummaging among the old things he wondered if Will needed some light. A torch would help, he thought, and surely he could find a short branch on the ground, but before he could ask there was a chink of glass, a startled yelp and then a resounding crash from within that alarmed him.
‘Will!’ Jake craned his neck from where he stood but still he could see nothing. Worry made his heart pound-the crash had sounded awfully loud and he couldn’t bear to see his brother hurt-but before he could rush into the house a shout from Will stopped him.
‘Don’t come in here!’
With that Jake reluctantly contented with hovering at the doorway, though his mind argued otherwise. He knew better to disregard that statement: Will would ask for help if he really needed it, and Jake running up to him would only be rebuked for getting in the way, as usual.
‘Are you okay?’ Jake hollered instead through cupped hands. ‘Do you need-’
‘I’m fine,’ came the curt reply as Will strode out from the dark, brushing dust off his clothes and holding what seemed like a roll of old parchment in his left hand.
‘Don’t go in there,’ he muttered, ‘I think I broke the mirror.’ He took in Jake’s concerned look and added ‘No, I’m not injured.’
Jake breathed a sigh of relief but it quickly turned to surprise when his brother announced he would be going out for short time.
‘Now, Will?’ Jake gazed at him, apprehensive. Beyond the house the surroundings looked dark and forbidding; he could barely see the town obstructed by bare trees but that wasn’t what unnerved him most. Recently he had heard rumours of people going about late at night who had mysteriously disappeared and none of the missing had ever been found, not to mention tales of bloodthirsty beasts lurking in the night that made him shiver and wish more than ever for the both of them to stay here till morning-light. Will wouldn’t believe any of this ‘nonsense’ so he didn’t dare speak his mind. ‘But wouldn’t it be too dark-what are you doing?’
‘Making a torch,’ he answered, wrapping strips of cloth around a long piece of wood. When Jake looked ill at ease Will ruffled his brother’s hair affectionately. ‘Don’t worry about it; I won’t be gone for long. I’ll finish what I have to do and I’ll be back as quickly as I can.’
It sounded so simple, but then again, Jake couldn’t help wondering why his brother would choose to go out during the night, where it was impossible to distinguish from where one was going to a tree nearby.
‘You aren’t going away and leaving me, right?’ Instantly after the words had slipped out Jake was left embarrassed. He always had the nagging thought stored away among the ‘what if’s and ‘maybe’s that Will didn’t like him much. While Will was capable of anything Jake was…not as useful. Will had successfully kept them alive since Mother died but in these times Jake had not much to claim credit for. He was always the timid one and constantly getting lost and losing things. On some days he was fearful that Will would decide to go solo and abandon him for good, and it made him very depressed and teary.
Will’s reaction was immediate. ‘Have you gone thoroughly insane? Where did you get that idea from?’ He demanded, gripping a startled Jake’s shoulders and preventing him from turning away.
‘I…I just thought…’ Jake stammered and petered out, refusing to look his brother in the eye. He winced slightly; Will was stronger than he thought. ‘…Can you let me go, Will? You’re hurting me.’
‘Sorry.’ His grip relaxed but he regarded Jake seriously. ‘I don’t know where you get that notion but no, I’m not leaving you. Not now, not ever.’ Breaking tension as Jake looked calmer, he smiled wearily. ‘I’ll be here always. You know I don’t lie.’
Jake raised a doubtful eyebrow at that and Will frowned before adding ‘At least, not often to you. Believe me, alright?’
Jake looked uncomfortable, swallowed and slowly nodded, as if it took him a while to believe that. Frankly, he wanted to.
‘Well, if there isn’t anything else I’ll see you in the morning. You’ll be fine: just stick close to home.’ Will lit the torch, patted his brother’s shoulder in what he hoped was an assuring manner and trudged into the woods. Jake watched him anxiously till he and the torch were out of sight.
I’ll be here always.
Jake lay on his back, close to the fire, thinking hard, long after Will had disappeared into the night. He didn’t know what exactly was troubling him but somehow Will’s words, trapped in his head, went around in circles. Did always mean forever, and did forever mean eternity? But that would be impossible, Jake thought sullenly. Eternity was too long, far too much a time. They would grow up and pursue different passions, marry different people (obviously) and travel places. That seemed like a long way for a twelve-year-old but Jake was unsure why he was so bothered.
How along would an ‘always’ last? A year? Two years? A decade? Maybe he ought to ask Will. Maybe not, as it sounded like a stupid question.
He rolled over on his side, watching the fire dance. He would feel so lost and confused without him. Would Will really stay forever? He didn’t think so, but since he’d said it vocally did it mean anything more?
He had decided to stay up till his brother returned but how much time had passed since Will’s departure? It had seemed like hours and the night certainly looked darker, the stars brighter and sleep felt more inviting…
When Jake woke up in the morning next to something warm and breathing he found Will curled up in slumber next to him, with specks of snow in his hair and on his clothes. The sight of him reassured Jake immensely but he couldn’t help wondering where had his brother been all night. The fire had burned out, leaving only traces of ash.
Jake stood up, stretched and reached out for his journal but something made him pause and a smile tugged on his lips for the first time since last night.
The yellowed parchment in Will’s hands last night now lay open, strewn carelessly on top of the journal. It was an ancient map of the town and the surrounding regions-Jake didn’t think it was still in production-but that wasn’t more important that what he saw sandwiched between two pages of his journal, slightly damp from melting snow and streaked with dirt.
His beloved quill.