summer 1981 - it's half timing and the other half's luck

[ofthecubs]

It isn't going to last forever.

Summer doesn't last forever, after all. Yes, it's only June, but it'll be September again before he blinks. Being a child, his father often tells him with rough affection, doesn't last forever either. Yes, he's only ten, but in the blink of an eye, he'll be twelve and he'll be sixteen and he'll be twenty and if he doesn't start working now, he won't be King of anything. It had gotten much harder to disregard when he thought about the fact Max was already half-way to twelve as well; that Toby was up and about and very much his own person when he'd just moments ago been too small for his brothers to be allowed to hold.

It isn't going to last forever. That means they need to make the best of it.

And he does have vague plans for the afternoon. Some time will be for Andrew and for running like lunatics through the fields. Some time will be for Rachel and Argine, for building on the hesitant sort of truce they've come upon as 'cooties' stop being such a pressing concern. Some time will be for his brothers, for watching them play, for keeping them safe; for just being close before he blinks and they're all too grown up for fun.

But for now, Edgar Eicheln is making the best of being sprawled, entirely comfortably, on the side of a small hill near the lake. The sky's blue, the wind's cool, and the contentment in his heart is fairly complete.

Comments

[theunpressuredclub]

"Yeah?" And there's a genuine tone of curiosity to her voice as she shifts onto her elbows to look at the two of them, "What's it like?"

[ofthecubs]

He glances over briefly, a tiny grin on his lips before his attention drifts back to the clouds.

"It's like... when you look out at the lake, right? Except it just-- turns into the sky. And your whole heart hurts."

[theunpressuredclub]

"That sounds amazing," she says with a quiet sense of awe, "I can't wait t'see it one day."

[ofthecubs]

"We should all go."

It's the lazy promise of a summer day, of course, but it does sound like a lovely use of time.

[theunpressuredclub]

"That'd be cool," Andrew murmurs, wiggling to get an arm around Edgar affectionately.

"Yeah," Rachel agrees quietly, and there's no hesitation in it this time.

[ofthecubs]

"Yeah?"

He doesn't sound surprised. Well.

He does sound a little surprised.

[theunpressuredclub]

Why always the tone of surprise. Although-- not like Rachel isn't surprised at herself. She is.

"Yeah. But only 'f 'gine shows up."

[ofthecubs]

"Four of us."

There's musing in his tone, but it's absolutely got a pleased edge to it.

"Sounds... nice."

[theunpressuredclub]

"It does," Andrew says thoughtfully, squeezing Edgar absently, "Really nice."

"Four's a pretty awesome number," Rachel adds.

[ofthecubs]

"Important number."

The number of Suits. The number of Face Cards.

The number of them.

Huh.

[theunpressuredclub]

It's something to think about. Something to be mulled over for the next little while.

But not right now. Right now, the idyllic moment on the hill is going to be interrupted by the rumble from Andrew's stomach.

The boy will ignore his cousin's quiet laughter as he nudges an elbow into his best friend's side, "'s go. I'm hungry."

[ofthecubs]

"Booooo."

Not that he isn't squirming in a way which will eventually get him back onto his feet. Just.

So comfy.

[theunpressuredclub]

"C'moooon."

Although even the hungry Andrew is taking his sweet time wiggling his way towards standing.

"We can come back out again later."

[ofthecubs]

"'m movin'."

Up most of the way, anyway. Hands will, of course, be offered to both the other Clubs for help the rest of the way up.

[theunpressuredclub]

"Move faster."

Because Andrew is already more or less up by the time Edgar gets there. So, Rachel will be the one to take the Eicheln's hand after barely a moment's pause.

"Thanks, Ed."

[ofthecubs]

It's definitely better, being mostly-friends with Rachel. It's certainly got a bright grin on his lips as he gives her hand a friendly squeeze.

"Duh."

...to be fair, she is friends with a ten-year-old boy.

[theunpressuredclub]

She is. And she's slowly learning to accept that, even if it does get a nose wrinkle at first.

Andrew will cut off any complaining that might happen by poking Edgar in the side again, "Come oooon, Ed."

[ofthecubs]

The future is bright and unwritten before them. There will come a day when he isn't ten and she isn't eight and things aren't quite so simple between them. For now, it's nice to just roll his eyes and latch instead onto Andrew.

(To be fair, this may also be his response when he's sixteen. And twenty. And forty.)

"Comin'."

[theunpressuredclub]

And her huff of a response is going to be hers when she's sixteen, and twenty, and forty.

But for now, she'll be reaching for Andrew's free hand as Edgar clings to her cousin's side.

"'s go, then."

[ofthecubs]

It's as it should be. It's got a nice sense of being the natural order of things. It very much keeps Edgar's smile burning bright.

It's easy to believe it will always be just like this.