Don't you dare forget the sun

“Uri…Uri…are..are you listening?” 

The brightly clothed ashuri peaked up from the floor, “Huh! Of course, I’m listening!”

“Inside voice Uri…” Eon reminded before laying back on his bed. Uri switched to sign language without missing a beat. ‘Ooops!’ He spelt out before laying back down. Eon smiled a little watching the younger’s antics. The only reason Uri was even in his room was to wait for Rai to get home. How sad…a second thought…No one ever came to see him. Eon sighed, smile dissipating as he slid from the bed. He leaned up against the window looking out to the night streets. Rai was out with his mother, probably slaying or something boring. Eon's parents were downstairs doing…tetru knows what. The shiri closed his eyes for a moment gently hitting his head on the glass. The only reason he came home was that his plan for life failed. He couldn’t be a fighter. He sucked at being a guardian. Magic wasn’t his strong suit. Fighting skills were non-existent. He was a failure in every sense of the word. He couldn’t even make friends. Here he was…30 years old and living with his parents. Jobless, Homeless, Relationshipless. what a failure. What was he doing with his life? 

A small tap on his shoulder and he slowly looked back. Ashuri was slightly taller than him. Admittedly he always found that slightly annoying. Being smaller than one of Rai’s friends of all people. But as the years went by and Uri matured more he found it a bit endearing. Attractive one would dare to think. ‘Are you ok? You’re being more broody than usual.’ Uri’s hands were so careful when they signed. Eon swallowed looking back to the window. He half signed something back. But mostly waved the other off. He was supposed to be the cool older brother right? Then why couldn’t he pull that off? Uri left him alone after that, sitting on his bed as he waited for Rai to return home. Why was he even waiting for Rai in the first place? Eon never thought to ask about that. He found himself sitting beside the other, tapping the edge of the bed. Uri didn’t seem to mind, always off in his own world. 

“Why are you here?”

"Do you want me to leave?” Gentle words. Uri had such a nice voice. Sadly he rarely spoke. Eon didn’t mind the silence. “I’m waiting for Rai to get home.”

“No no I don’t want you to leave…I just…usually you always called Rai ahead of time-”

“I did. He told me he’s busy with family work. Then he said I could spend the night and bother his brother till he got back.”

“Oh.”

Eon awkwardly pulled at his sleeves. So he really is the second choice. He looked to the wall wishing that Rai would hurry up and get home. Stupid Rai…could never learn to be on time to things. Uri tilted his head slightly seeing as Eon had suddenly went quiet. “I don’t see it as bothering. You’re very nice company, Eon” Uri whispered a hand reaching out to turn Eon to look at him. The shiri tensed as he was touched, being turned to look at the younger. Ha…who did this guy think he was? Whatever it was…it worked for Eon. He stared silently at the other feeling his heartbeat rising at the feeling of just being touched. When was the last time someone touched him? He couldn’t even place it on someone. Other than Rai tossing him around like a ragdoll.

“I am?” Eon whispered feeling himself becoming more flustered at the other’s words. Did Uri even think about what he said half the time? Uri’s thumb gently ran over the other’s cheek with a smile.

“You are! I think you are very cute too.”

“Cute…?”

Eon went quiet raising a hand to hold Uri’s hand against his cheek. He could die like this. Being held in someone’s arms. He found himself moving to do such. Head against' Uri’s chest, one hand tightly holding onto Uri’s as if he might lose it. Uri didn’t move away. He didn’t say no. Eon's eyes opened slightly. Maybe Uri wanted this too? The badger was sitting calmly in his spot, playing with the edges of Eon's hair. His hair was so pretty… and his lips looked so kissable. What a dumb thought. Eon rolled his eyes at himself closing them again before Uri noticed. 

A door downstairs opened and loud talking echoed upstairs. Rai was home. Eon could tell by how the sounds of his parents talking got louder. Not even a second and he found himself being pushed away and Uri running out the door and downstairs. Eon slowly stood as Uri left, following him to the stairs and peaking over the bannister. Seeing Uri and Rai hugging, laughing about something. They were meant for each other, weren’t they? Wasn’t that the whole point of Kie bringing Uri into their family? To ensure Uri was friends with Rai? That Rai would always be picked over him? Eon slowly crouched to the ground, muffling his pained cries in his hands. What a cruel joke life was… He looked through tear-filled eyes to feel someone looking up at him. Kie. Of course, the one with psychic powers that butted into everyone’s life knew exactly what was wrong. Eon didn’t stick around to hear Kie taunt him. He ran back into his room locking the door behind him. 

No one noticed.

No one cared.

The eldest was always left behind.

Eon fell to the floor pulling at the edges of his hair. Who would care? Not when there was a psychic wielding overpowered stupid brat that could replace him? What was the point of trying? When someone would always be picked over him. Eon took a deep breath. Mother would call for dinner soon. He would have to come down to eat. Lest Kie mention something about this. If the world was free of magic….sadly it wasn’t. Eon rubbed the other edge of his tiger ears looking off the side. How hard would it be to run away and live in the sewers? He slowly stood looking in his mirror and trying to fix himself up. Cry Baby. Cry Baby…that’s what the kids called him in school. Or worse just a baby in general when his younger brother would come up and be twice his size, more mature, cooler….he was everything that Eon wasn’t. Eon had to remind himself to breathe as he looked back up to his reflection.

“Eon. I’m coming in.”

Eon'sears went flat at the sound of that melodic voice. Kie…no you can go away. That is all Eon thought before going to the door to hold it shut. It didn’t matter as the door clicked open with a bit of magic and Kieran walked in. “You know. Normally one asks to come into someone else’s room.” Eon sniffed quickly turning away hoping that Kie would just leave. He hated the shiri more than anything else in the world. His third parent or whatever. He could care less. He could see Kieran’s dislike for him in his eyes.  

“Funny thing is...I own this house so. They are all my rooms right?” Kieran said smoothly before sitting on Eon's bed, “Sit.”

“No-”

“Sit.”

Eon sighed sitting a bit away from the other and staring at his hands. Kie leaned back slightly staring at the starry stickers on the ceiling, “Would you like to talk about it?”

“No.”

Kie glanced to the other, before shaking his head, “Eon…I know you more than you would like me to. You can talk to me-”

“I don’t want to. I don’t want you in my life. If you didn’t exist then Rai wouldn’t be here. And then my parents would still care about me-” Eon broke down back into tears, hands doing the best to wipe them all away, “I don’t want your stupid apologies or empty words. You don’t care. None of you do.”

Kie listened to the other cry in silence before laying back on the bed and dragging the other down with him, “Oh Eon…Darling….We do care about you.”

“You-your not even my parent. You’re nothing to me” Eonwhimpered, but not moving from Kie’s arms. The soft pets on his head were surprisingly soothing. 

“Mmhm…I know. I’m just the annoying guy that spawned in some annoying brat right? I don’t care at all about you. That’s why I fund all your outings away from your parents. Why I let you have the first pick of my places. Why I tried my best to train you when you asked for it. I don’t care at all….Eon…between you and me…I know it seems like I have everything together. But I’m just rolling with the punches…just like you, darling.”

“You…you are?”

“Yeah…yeah, I am” Kie laughed brushing Eon's hair out of his face, “You’re my oldest kid you know? Even if biologically you aren’t mine. I kinda always saw you as my first try at taking care of a kid. When Cass wasn’t around I would always ask Noir if I could try carrying you…I know it sucks seeing people pick someone over you. Because they are different or better. But you are perfectly fine just the way you are.” He took a breath putting his head on top of the other’s, “I think you are perfect and special and unique. You aren’t stuck in some set path and I envy that. I’m sure your brother does too. You know he loves you too right? Rai loves you, Eon. He thinks you’re the cool older brother. I mean, look at you! You lived across the globe travelling around to find ‘purpose’. And sure you might’ve not have found it just yet but…one day you will. And then you’ll understand what I mean. Like uh….the way each snowflake is different or whatever. I’m not working right now I can’t think of a good analogy. But your light is special, Eon. You are special.”

Eon sniffed putting his head back into Kie’s chest, “why are you telling me this?”

“because I can feel how you feel. It’s unbearable sometimes…being able to feel everything and everyone all the time. I just want you to be happy, Eon. Not for your parents’ sake but for your own. You deserve a good life, sweetheart.” Eon slowly nodded curling up in the other’s arms. Kie stretched slightly before pulling Eon fulling into the bed and cuddling up to him. “Let’s skip dinner….they’ll pass out soon enough and you can come with me to my partner’s place. How does that sound?”

“Does he make good food…?”

“Akashi? Of course, he does. I have high standards.”

Eon smiled a little before agreeing, happy to fall asleep in someone’s arms. Even if said someone was someone he once hated. Eon closed his eyes taking a deep breath. Maybe he was the one that needed to learn how to love someone.