This is Random Crack because and no other good reason exists

[element_wizard]

The spatula waved in the air as Alec sang the Beatles to the empty apartment. He was making a stir fry for dinner, under the assumption that Andrew would be back from work in time for dinner. If not he'd just save the rest for lunch the next day or snack later.

It didn't matter in the long run.

He just was cooking, having a good time, and singing about being a paperback writer while dancing horribly.

The day had been good. Quiet. He'd done well on his test in class. Andrew would be hopefully pleased. A little.

He'd even finally saved up enough money - when he got his allowance today - to get that laptop he wanted.

So.

He was happy.

Comments

[rianofski]

Andrew was glad that Alec wasn't actively maligning him, although an adult might have raised an eyebrow about the children mostly fending for themselves, he thought Jack would probably be fine with it.

Jack frowned. "Can we... have candy whenever we want?"

[element_wizard]

Well, it's true.

He's not sure he likes the "we" bit. "If you buy it with your own money. But you still have to eat proper food," Alec says. "I don't know if Andrew'll give you an allowance or not. But you can eat whatever you want that's in the kitchen. Whenever you want."

[rianofski]

Jack's voice dropped to a whisper, and Andrew, who was still standing in the hall, had to strain to hear.

"And does he... does he hit you? Will he hit me?"

[element_wizard]

It really is a good thing Alec wasn't cooking stir fry right then. He'd have dropped the frying pan. Andrew has many, many faults. Alec isn't blind to that. He knows that. And he knows Andrew has a temper. But that?

"No," Alec says, suddenly feeling sorry for the kid. Whatever the hell happened to him. "He'll never hit you. Batya doesn't do that." He says this completely seriously and firmly. "Only weak people need to hit kids."

Which is true.

As far as Alec knows.

Jack's question startles him enough he doesn't realize what he just called Andrew out loud until after he said it. Thankfully Andrew isn't there to hear him.

[rianofski]

Andrew, from his hidden spot in the hallway, can't help but smile slightly at the firm tone in Alec's voice. There may be things that Andrew doesn't do well, that he overreacts about, that he doesn't handle the way a normal parent might, but hitting children has never even occurred to him as a good idea.

Jack nods slowly. "That's good. My mommy... she used to have some friends who weren't very nice."

[element_wizard]

"Yeah. Well..." Alec wants to say that Jack's mother's friends won't hit him any more, but he doesn't know if that's true or not. And he doesn't want Jack to stay either.

Sure the kid is kinda pathetic, but he doesn't want him to stick around.

"Ba... Andrew won't do that." He's started feeling awkward about this conversation. Too much emotional stuff.

[rianofski]

"Okay," Jack said. "I think I'm gonna go play until the pizza gets here, okay?"

And with that, he lept up from the table and headed into the living room to play with his action figures, leaving Alec there, and Andrew standing in the hallway for a moment before he went into his office quietly.

[element_wizard]

After watching him go, Alec goes to Andrew's office.

"He's making it very hard to make me want him to go away," Alec says.

[rianofski]

"He's a rather polite young man," Andrew agrees, nodding at Alec, "But there's every chance that he won't be here for the longterm."

[element_wizard]

"It's not that, he's just... like a wet puppy." He plucks at his shirt sleeve absently.

[rianofski]

"I suppose that means I can count on you to treat him reasonably well, then? He hasn't had the easiest time of it lately."

[element_wizard]

"As long as he doesn't get into my stuff, yeah." It's his stuff. "You're going to get his mom out? Or...?"

[rianofski]

"He won't get into your stuff. You know I'm not going to coddle the child."

A pause as he shuffles papers thoughtfully. "I would if I could, but she's being held without bail, and although I can hire her a good lawyer, I can't game the system well enough to get her out. It's a serious charge, I'm afraid, and hardly her first offense."

[element_wizard]

"You kinda are by not telling him what's really going on," Alec says.

"And he's got no other family?"

[rianofski]

"He's seven, Alec. What do you expect me to tell him? At that age, it would be easier to tell him his mother had died than that she'd been locked away. He knows she's in trouble, but that's the extent of it. No, he has no other family. She didn't speak to her parents."

[element_wizard]

Alec thinks about this for a moment and then sighs. "I guess you'll have to speak to her parents for her then."

Only way to get rid of the kid.

[rianofski]

Andrew shakes his head ruefully. "They're dead now. It's not an ideal situation, Alec, but we'll make do for now."

[element_wizard]

Damn.

"Who else can you give him to?"

[rianofski]

Andrew sighs deeply. "Alec, did I give you to someone when I could have? You had a godfather who wanted to adopt you, and I fought him on that and kept you. Why shouldn't I do the same for this child? It's hardly going to mean I intend to neglect you or treat you as inferior."

[element_wizard]

Alec looks away quickly at the rebuke, as that's clear what he's thinking and afraid of.

[rianofski]

"He's your brother, Alec, and while I don't expect that you two will get along all the time, I expect you to be welcoming. Your position is not going to change within the household."

It's his exceptionally clumsy and non-emotional way of saying that there's room for both of them in his life, but he'd never put it in those terms.

[element_wizard]

"It sounds like he's going to be staying," Alec says softly.

[rianofski]

"I don't know," Andrew says honestly, and for him to admit he doesn't know anything is strange, to say the least. "It depends on a lot of factors."

[element_wizard]

The few times Alec's heard him do that have been strange ones indeed.

"I don't know if I know how to be a big brother. I was the baby." And then an only child.

[rianofski]

"I don't think you need to do much of anything except avoid beating him up on a regular basis. And perhaps putting up with the fact that he's bound to be slightly irritating, as most seven year olds are. You don't need to change your general nature simply because he's been added to the house."