My Brother's Keeper - (3 Parts)

[Moo]

Disclaimer: This is just a little 'out-on-holiday-break' fluff [so the writing will most likely be a little rough]. There will definitely be more installments, however : ) Fulfilling a prompt from this thread.

Oscar, Hadyn, and any other lovelies you may encounter in this story are mine : )

My Brother's Keeper

Fortune and class: These traits, among many, are often shaped long before birth. So was the case of the Duke of Austria, and his two sons.

Oscar, born from the womb of a common mistress, was the first to call the duke 'father’. While half-royal, half-common children were not unheard of, they were disgraceful if birthed before a pure heir. Because of this, Oscar’s existence was kept quiet from the public. He grew up under his mother’s care alone. While still living amongst the masses, they were kept directly on the line of comfortable by his father’s secretive support.

Oscar was two when he first met his father. The man came in the night, bearing news of an approaching heir. After speaking briefly with the woman he had first laid with, he pulled Oscar aside.

“ Oscar.” He had said, tone not unkind. “ You are to be entrusted with a very important task. In a few day’s time, I am to have another child. He will be your brother. Although you will not meet him for some time, there will come a day when you will live beside him. It is then that you must act as guardian and confident to him. Do you understand?”

At that, the boy had nodded, despite barely grasping the situation. The man, satisfied with that answer, disappeared into the night.

Hadyn was born just seven days later. Still, it was fifteen long years before they met.

~*~

At twenty, Oscar was strong and well built. Although the features of his father grew prominent in his physique, the finer details about him were modeled after his mother. He had hair as dark as the night, cut short for sake of convenience, and eyes of coal that all too often seemed blank with boredom. He had all the markings and worldly experience of a man, and had matured well past his years, but was still confined to the Duke’s manor. For the last three years, he had been at the beck and call of his half brother, Hadyn. Although he was not officially considered a slave, he was very nearly treated as such.

Hadyn, at eighteen, was just beginning to come into himself. He was a slight and sickly boy, as he had always been, with honey-colored hair and light brown eyes. He had a temper as excitable and deadly as a snake, and therefore put off the majority of people. Although he never seemed to approve of Oscar’s presence, he made the most of it, running the man ragged with menial chores.

As of late, their father had grown concerned with the status of his son, Hadyn. He was beginning his first steps into adulthood, and often spent days being shuttled from party to party to make appearances. After all, if he was to someday fill his father’s shoes, he needed to be- at the very least- recognizable.

And of course, it was Oscar’s duty to accompany him through it all.

On one such trip, the two sat in the back of a covered carriage, otherwise unaccompanied. It had been hours since their last stop, and both were feeling the aches of confinement and boredom.

Hadyn glanced over at Oscar, studying him intently. He couldn’t help but note his jacket, soiled with the fur of one of his wretched animals. With a scowl, he reached forward and plucked one off.

“ What have I said about this?” He demanded coldly, flicking it away as soon as Oscar recognized what it was. “ You know how sensitive I am to those… beasts.” He hissed, then sighed and drew back into himself. He massaged his slender nostrils. “ Oh, how bothersome it had become already.” He feigned a hitch of the breath.

Oscar could not help but roll his eyes. He had never quite understood his brother’s obsession with maintaining control over such a base bodily function. He had heard Hadyn claim that sneezing publicly was for common-folk numerous times, and every time it struck him as ridiculous. “ Of course not.” He returned curtly, staring out the window and shrugging out of his jacket. A few moments later, he gave it a casual toss across the space between them. It landed across the spoiled boy’s lap, and quickly drew a hiss. Oscar suppressed a smile. “ My apologies. I was aiming for the seat.”

“ You idiot!” Hadyn threw the jacket away, fuming. “ Oh, it is just like a peasant to make light of such a disadvantage! And so crudely!” He was rubbing at his nose again.

Oscar disguised a chuckle as a cough. “ It really was an accident.” He said flatly, knowing that if he sought to sound sincere, he would merely start laughing. “ I trust that everything will be alright…”

And then the gasping started once more, drawing his concern. There was an actual urgency about this, as if it was already too late in order to properly stop it.

Oscar was beside him immediately, fully aware of what consequence would come if he did not offer his help. He extended his hand and gently took his brother’s nose between his forefinger and thumb. This action, the easiest way to stifle a sneeze, had been employed countless times in the past. Often, Oscar wondered why Hadyn was incapable to doing it himself, but had never been so bold as to inquire.

“ Hnnnngxt! ‘nxxt! Hnnxxxt! Hngxt! “

Without so much as a moment to spare, Hadyn succumbed to a string of stifled sneezes. There was then a few moments of silence and recovery- Oscar’s fingers remained wrapped around his brother’s nose, and Hadyn, panting, opened his eyes into watering slits. There was a sense of great relief, as one would expect to feel after avoiding a disaster.

This, however, quickly turned to anger on Hadyn’s side. With a rough shove, he sent Oscar back to the other side of the carriage. His eyes burned, fury on the surface, but embarrassment within. The carriage soon came to a stop, and Hadyn descended from the vehicle immediately. He sought to put as much distance as possible between him and his brother. Perhaps he could salvage a private moment or two in which he could overcome his embarrassment and conceal his sudden desire.

[SweaterWeather]

Mmmm......*paints mental picture of Oscar holding Haydns nose while he sneezes*

Really shweet!

BTW, can I bring Haydn home with me? Pwease?

[gryffin]

Welcome back! May I say how incredibly sexy promising this is?...

BTW, can I bring Haydn home with me? Pwease?

In that case, can I keep Oscar?

[Moo]

Grey on a Sunday: Haha : ) Well, they're available for visits, but for some reason I feel like Hadyn would be more reluctant...

Gryffin: Thanks! It's good to be back : )

~~~

Guess who is completely incapable of spacing out posts?

~~~

Part Two

The party was tedious, at best. Oscar remained at Hadyn’s side, as always, whispering the names of other socialites as they approached. He wouldn’t want his brother to look foolish, after all.

After a long night, the pair of brothers retired to a nearby inn. Hadyn had thrown a fit after learning that the driver had planned to keep going through the night. For once, Oscar agreed- he was sick on the creaking, wooden beast. He was sick of the parties, and of attending to his brother. He yearned for the day when Hadyn became a man, and he was able to venture out on his own. He vowed to make a name for himself, somewhere far from the land of his lying father.

But for now, he was contented with this. Night was falling, which meant he was off the clock. He took off his suit jacket and began fumbling with the buttons on the shirt below. When it came off, he flopped onto the bed, sighing in content. The stiffness in his back suggested several days of sleeping while sitting up, and demanded at least one night of proper rest. He was beginning to slip into sleep when he felt himself being shaken.

“ Get up.” Hadyn said simply, letting go. “ I’m ready for bed.”

Oscar opened a sleepy eye and pointed to the opposite side of the room, where a cushioned sitting chair resided. “ Goodnight…”

Unsurprisingly, that was not to Hadyn’s liking. “ Sleep on a chair? Like a peasant? I think not!” He answered indignantly, grasping his brother’s hand and trying to pull him from the bed. “ You sleep over there.”

“ I’m already laying here.” Oscar pointed out, easily breaking away from his brother’s grip..

Hadyn’s lips pursed. “ Your mother was not confined to a bed- why should you be?”

Those words, though not the worst of Hadyn’s insults, provoked Oscar like nothing before. The man sat up and grabbed Hadyn’s face in his hand.

“ I am sick of you.” He hissed. “ I am sick of the way you treat me. Is it my fault that your father could not control his carnal instincts? No. Is it my fault that your mother could not be bothered to be impregnated before my mother? No. If I have my way, and I will, I will be free of this land the very night of your coming of age. Until then, I am stuck with you, and you are stuck with me. I will continue to serve you, as I am obligated to, but it will be a cold day in hell before I give you this bed.” With that, the usually docile man let go.

Hadyn, obviously shaken, fell silent for a few moments. Then, he gathered together the scraps of his dignity and walked over to the sitting chair. There was a sheet spread out across the arm, as though the innkeeper had predicted some unfortunate soul having to sleep there. He situated himself so that he could pretend to lay out, letting his legs hang over one arm and resting his head on the other. He tried to get comfortable, but the chair was hard, and the night was cold. He made no secret of his displeasure, moaning and shifting often enough to disturb the sleep of an otherwise exhausted man.

Oscar, still annoyed, exhaled deeply. “ You know, this bed is certainly big enough for two. Why don’t you swallow your pride and lay on the other side?”

There was another silence before the sound of a rustling sheet brought Hadyn into the bed. As directed, he slipped in on the other side, trying to keep his brother at arm’s length. He was nearly settled when another discomfort came upon him. His nose, having laid obediently dormant for the remainder of the night, was now itching. He wiggled his nose, not wanting to have to put up with it. The thought of how Oscar would mock him behind his back was a strong deterrent, but was still not enough to prevent the inevitable. His breath began to hitch once more.

Hearing this, Oscar turned back instinctively. “ What? Are you allergic to me now?” He asked dryly, extending his hand once more to pinch Hadyn’s nose. He was met with a surprise, however, when his brother seemed unable to hold back.

“ Hh-Itshew!” He sneezed forcefully into his brother’s hand, which now acted as a makeshift shield. “ IhtSHEW!” He sniffled wetly, growing red in the face. He thanked the darkness of night for concealing his embarrassment. “ Excuse me…”

Oscar, on the other hand, could not help but grimace. “ Great…” He sighed, reaching down to the pile of clothes beside the bed and digging out a handkerchief. After he cleaned off his hand, he handed it over. “ Maybe you could try to control that thing?” He wiped his brother’s nose gently and sighed. “ Now go to bed…” He rolled over onto his side.

Hadyn twisted the handkerchief in utter embarrassment. Usually, he was so refined in his control… But his guard almost unfailingly lowered around Oscar. Brothers or not, it was unacceptable, especially considering his own… taste… in sneezing. He rubbed vigorously at his nose before drawing further into the blankets. Tonight’s confrontation had given him a lot to think about, but he was still eager to sleep, and gladly surrendered to it when it

[RSB]

This is so good! I love how Hadyn never covers his own sneezes (such a spoiled prince!) and his relationship with Oscar (bossing him around and yet being bossed around himself and still wanting to impress him--so cute!). Also loved Oscar's 'are you allergic to me' comment.

[Scion]

Hmmm, very good characterizations. Very real.

Also, I am hoping you will continue with this, because it's one of the best stories I've read on here, and I am in loooove with it. So please write more! Please, please, please???

Mod Note: Merged posts ~Mute

[Moo]

RSB: Thanks! It's true, he's pretty much spoiled rotten

Scion: Awwh, thanks! I definitely plan on continuing

Part Three

Unsurprisingly, Oscar was the first to wake the next morning. After the initial moments of haze, he became acutely aware of the warmth at his back. He didn’t have to look to know that Hadyn had, through the course of the night, managed to take up the entire bed’s worth of space. Now, he was asleep at his brother’s back, having finally settled down into a stationary position.

It’s too early… Oscar thought to himself, contemplating whether or not to close his eyes once more. Another few hours of rest, and he would be better than ever. The bed, still warmed by his body, invited him for another nap. Still, moments later, he was on his feet and skirting across the cold floor. Someone in the party had to assume the responsibility of waking up on time.

He began to rummage through his wardrobe, which consisted of little more than two cases. Expecting nothing more than a day of travel, he chose a muted grey suit that was beginning to wear at the hems. He then moved to the window and peaked outside, hoping to see their carriage ready.

It’s too early, and too bright… He thought once more, eyes narrowing in the harsh morning sunlight. He felt a tiny prickle at the back of his nose and inhaled quickly. “ Ehhhh… hhhhihh….” He remained in the path of the light, hoping to coax it out faster.

“ Ihhh’KTSCH! HihKITSCHHew!” Oscar tipped his head back, feeling one more explosion on the very edge. After a bit of desperate panting, he massaged the bridge of his nose. At that, a final ‘Hhhh-KSSSHH-OO!‘ was released.

Oscar was far less concerned than his brother when it came to sneezing. Perhaps it was because he was so ‘common’.

Or perhaps he just wasn’t psychotic.

With a sniffle, a smirk, and these thoughts kicking around in his head, Oscar left the room.

~*~

Hadyn laid silently in the dark for a few moments after the door closed. Then, he let a tentative, shaky breath out.

Good morning.

He was usually good at feigning sleep- he had come to as soon as his brother had gotten out of bed, but had laid still, knowing that he would have had to help if he admitted to consciousness. He was content to simply listen to the rustling sounds of Oscar preparing for the day.

Apparently, his brother had other plans.

He had actually been in the process of drifting off again when the hitching began. At first, he thought nothing of it- He had only heard Oscar sneeze a handful of times in three years. Something about the man seemed to naturally prevent them. And yet, the sound grew, eventually peaking with a nice triple. He was shocked. To think, Oscar was overcome so easily…

Nhghh.

Now alone, Hadyn began the lengthy process of dragging himself from the bed. He forced himself through the motions of preparation, trying not to dwell on his previous thoughts. He did not have the time, nor the privacy to get caught up in such a mood.

Oscar walked through the door just as Hadyn began to step into his suit. In the dark, the man could only guess that his lazier half was still sleeping, and thus threw open the curtains.

“ Rise and- Oh. You’re awake.” Oscar felt relief wash over. At least this meant that he wouldn’t have to plead with Hadyn to get out of bed. “ In that case. The driver wishes for me to tell you thahhh…” His nose twitched, once again abused by the sunlight. The expression on his face remained neutral, for the time being, as he tried to ignore it. “ W-wishes for me to tell you that we‘re going to-ahhh…” His nostrils flared wider, a threat and a demand for Oscar to pay heed. “ Thaahh… e-excuse… HehhhESCHHHH! Eh’SCHHHH-uh! Uggh…” He groaned quietly, rubbing his nose. “ Excuse me. The driver wanted me to tell you that we are going to stop at a gathering later tonight, so dress appropriately.” He pardoned himself from the room.

Hadyn felt shocks running through his body once more. Once Oscar was gone, he could do little more than collapse onto the bed.

“ Dammit. Dammit, Dammit!” He hissed to himself. When Oscar displayed such social faux pas, Hadyn was usually the first to call him out on it. But this… how could he react without letting his true feelings be known? Such a reaction was not exactly easy to conceal.

From outside, the driver called. They were departing.

Dammit. He needed to think of something fast, because he was destined for a few hours alone with Oscar, and he was unsure of the amount of restraint they could rely on.

[Yuzuhana]

This is really good I can't wait to read more!

[a red nine]

Wow, I'm such a dork for this story already... I'm a sucker for fluff, always have been, and this is just sooo freaking adorable. Not usually into the brotherly stuff yet you make it work. Please don't get bored of writing! I really can't wait for the next part!

[Scion]

"Oscar was far less concerned than his brother when it came to sneezing. Perhaps it was because he was so ‘common’.

Or perhaps he just wasn’t psychotic."

Hahaha! I love this part.

Good stuff! More! Must have more!

[Aprilcot]

OHHHHH!!!!!!!!! This keeps getting better!!!!!!!!!

I love where I think this is heading!!!!!!!!!!!

Please continue!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Butch]

Wonderful. More more more!