[ P ] little big brother

It was early morning yet and Haskell still wasn't awake. She had been waiting patiently for what seemed like hours when really she'd only woken up herself a few minutes ago. The girl yawned, her jaws splaying wide and dramatically before they clattered shut again. Right now everyone was still asleep but she was growing bored just waiting for them to wake up so she decided to speed the process up a little. "Little big brotherrr," she crooned into Haskell's ear. She was quiet enough not to cause her parents to stir but hopefully loud enough to rouse him to life.

Sheik lifted a paw and placed it on his shoulder to shake him awake if that didn't work. She wanted to do something because sitting around waiting was no fun at all. She looked towards the window where the sunshine began filtering in, then back to her sleepy brother. "Get up!" she huffed before slapping his shoulder again with her paw.

manip + code: clae

A grumble would bubble from his throat as his sister’s voice entered a very pleasant dream he was having of being nice and big, hunting a rabbit for the first time and impressing everyone. He growled a little as she materialized out of nowhere to come flying and steal his kill, causing him to squeak out and complain, what he said was hardly understood by anyone conscious, since his muzzle was smashed into his father’s side, stifling the words effectively. The only thing that could be made out was a whiny, “Sheik!” Though even that was garbled and awkward, kicking his foot roughly out in a tantrum as if kicking her in the face in the dream.

It wasn’t until the physical rousing that he would finally stir to this world his real body was in, raising his head groggily, fire kissed eyes narrow to block out any light as he turned his head to the rowdy ruffian. He’d smack his lips a couple times, that squint starting to turn into an actual glare though it was nearly impossible to tell the difference. “You called me small again! Stop that! Is not nice,” he stated grumpily, tail giving a single thrash before turning his head away and flipping it back down. He wouldn’t do anything until she apologized or made him happy, until then he would pretend to ignore her demands for attention, feeling he had every right to her being nice to him.

He knew he’d feel bad the longer he ignored her though, resisting the urge to crack instead being spineless.

manip + code: clae

As he slept, her brother squirmed beneath her, whining her name and kicking out like he were having some sort of tantrum. She narrowly avoided getting a hind to the face as she dodged not so gracefully to the side. "Woah!" she whispered, icy blue eyes narrowing slightly as she peered down at Haskell again. He was finally waking! He smacked his little lips and squinted up at her as if he were irritated to have been woken up but she didn't care... it was get up time, not sleepy time! Her brown rimmed ears twitched atop her head and she smiled down at him gleefully.

Of course, that smile faded with his words and as he turned away to ignore her she frowned deeply. She gave a little growl and nipped at his back.

"But you is small!" she countered. How could he be mad about a truth fact?! Sheik huffed irritably and looked up at her parents sleeping figures. Maybe she'd wake them up so they could talk some sense into Haskell. The longer he ignored her, the more furious she got, but she tried her best to hide it. As her tail thumped on the ground, she let out a low 'woo' noise. She wanted to play with her brother, not fight! "I sorry BIG brother" she said, though she wasn't really all that sorry.

manip + code: clae

He never could understand her being awake before anyone else when sleep was so heavenly when pressed cozy against either of their parents' plush pelts. What he could understand is not wanting to go to bed in the first place, always one willing to explore to his fullest at night, going to bed far later than his parents wanted him to. Of course there wasn’t too much fuss on the subject, the fact he still got plenty of sleep and had nothing better to do than be a baby yet, it wasn’t like he was missing out on anything. Just worrying the fur off his relatives when they saw him strolling out of the room in the middle of the night, unsupervised, often worming his way into his Aunt’s arms to listen to her stories or avoiding getting into trouble for vanishing. It seemed like she needed the company so in his own eyes, he was a very good boy being a comfort to her.

Those thoughts popped as his sister bellyached that he was indeed small, causing a scowl to grow onto his features, anger brimming and guilt leaving him in a heartbeat. If she was going to continue bullying him, she didn’t deserve his attention and he was starting to believe he had made the right choice to turn his back on her. There was no denying he was miniature, everyone around him loomed over him even this annoying sister of his but that didn’t mean he liked to be reminded time and time again. The only thing worse she could have called him was a runt, that would be quite the heel in his back in a matter of seconds that he couldn’t forgive her for.

Lucky for her, she didn’t go that far.

The apology felt like it was digging at him all the same, the emphasis on big sounded mocking and it made his head lift so he could glare at her. “That no sound like a real apology Sheik,” he complained, getting up to gently knock his head into her side playfully, mimicking a punishment. “Why awake already, are you no sleepy? So early even the worm isn’t awake,” he yawned again, looking over at their parents with silent wanting to go back to join them instead of whatever it was Sheik wanted.

He knew that isn't what he would get though as he would stretch dramatically to get more knots out of his body, mouth agape with his tongue sticking out in yet another yawn. It was such a chore to purge all this tired out of his growing big boy body.

manip + code: clae

When he finally did look at her it was with a glare but she was so oblivious she could only offer him a sweet smile and a few thumps of her tail on the ground before he headbutted her side and told her she wasn't really apologizing. She had never been good at saying those words truthfully and she'd be the first to admit that. "I didn't mean to hurt your feelings," she said, and these words she spoke were true. Instead of butting him back, she gave him a kiss on his cheek and wiggled her tail some more to show him she just wanted to play with her brother.

He groggily complained about the hour and she simply stared at him with a bright vibrancy in her blue eyes. "It's the best time. We can go out... there..." she said, raising her brows and looking off towards the doorway that led tot heir freedom.

Sheik was very curious about their home, having not had a chance to explore it all but what she wanted even more than that was to go beyond. The beyond was in her dreams, it haunted her... teased her... it was all she wanted, to see what was beyond, and yet it was kept from her. She almost growled, but she managed to keep her emotions stilled for now. "But I scared to go alone. I need my big brother," she said, looking back to Haskell with wider, pleading eyes now.

manip + code: clae

It was impossible to stay mad at her with that cute little smile of hers, it seemed he was just as weak to puppy eyes as the next soul, if not worse as he let out a sigh. The little tail thumps would catch his attention as he tilted his head, still getting used to the concept of sound as the world was so different than it was in his earliest memories where scent and touch were the only things he could rely on. The world had opened up so much since then and it was overwhelming but he equally wanted to explore every nook of it but his mind would round back to the topic at hand when she attempted an apology in a different way and he couldn’t fight her any longer once her tongue laced his cheek fur. “Sisser cooties!” he giggled, though did nothing to get away from her kiss, enjoying any affection others wanted to give him. “You forgibben,” the declaration was followed by a sloppier kiss right back on her nose.

The energy she possessed was only slightly extending to him as he took in a long breath, following her gaze to the doorway then falling back to her with both intrigue and uncertainty. If mama woke up, they’d both be in deep trouble if they were caught before they could return but at the same time it would likely just be lectures or a nip on the ear for punishment. It was of little consequence in his eyes, the punishment worth the reward of seeing something new. On the other hand, he didn’t want his parents distrusting them to the point they stopped showing up when one of them cried wolf. His lips turned up at the thought.

His ears swiveled when she used the term big brother again but this time just let it wash over him and not think too hard on it, he was the first born after all. Well first born out of their litter. Their sister Lia was the oldest though he had yet to meet her and Aurora made him the third born but either way Sheik was still the babiest of them all.

There were those puppy eyes again, dang it. He pouted just a little while getting back out of his stretches, wiggling his nose as he found himself failing at keeping a spine. “Mommy gotsa be okay with it if we is together. I should show you place Daddy took me the other day, it not far but it’s magical,” he contemplated, starting to pad to the door with a skip in his step, as eager to explore as she was.

manip + code: clae

She laughed as he protested her 'cooties' a little bit but didn't run away; so that must mean he didn't mind too much. After a second he declared that she was forgiven and her tail thumped heartily behind her in joy. It was a wonder all the thumping didn't wake their parents up but they were still sound asleep this fine morning and the two young ones were free to do as they pleased.

And it would seem that would be to explore the outside world.

Haskell's reasoning seemed solid to her and she nodded her head vigorously. "Pwease! Take me there!" she begged, wanting to see this 'magical' place their father had taken Haskell to and feeling a little jealous she had not been included. Soon her brother was off and she was quick to follow.

As they nudged out the door, they came to stand in a wide stone hallway and Sheik looked it up and then down. There was nobody around but them and she felt a little scared now that she and Haskell were alone. Her tail lowered slightly and her ears splayed on her head as she leaned into her brothers smaller figure.

"Ok... where do we go now?" she asked him curiously.

manip + code: clae

All the giggles and tail thumping should have probably awakened one if not both their parents but then again when they were out they seemed to always be dead to the world besides if one of them got snuggled, instinctively scooping them up without a thought in the matter. Sometimes he wondered if they were only pretending to sleep to not have to deal with them and let them entertain one another, though he couldn’t really tell the difference if they were or not. His lips pressed as he looked at them while Sheik had her turn to have a snickering episode, waiting for a brow to crease or an eye to pop open to look over at them. Neither thing would happen though he would see his mother’s ear twitch a little, making him tense for a second till he was certain she wasn’t actually rousing from her slumber.

He’d offer his sister a tiny shush noise to keep it down.

The begging would draw his focus back to the freedom they had, nudging her a little further away from their sleeping forms before bolting off awkwardly to the door with a big smile on his face, holding back further laughing from being heard from his tiny puppy lungs. Pushing on the door with all his effort, the help of his sister would make it suddenly move and he would tumble comically out of the exit onto his chin, letting out a mph from between clenched teeth. No whimper would come out, determining that his broken nail had hurt far worse than this.

Hopping back to his paws, he also would follow suit to look around, half expecting to see one of his cousins or aunt walking around but the silence of the structure was unnerving. Before he could even think about it much he would suddenly feel the heat of a larger body pressed into his side, making him puff up his chest with the sudden responsibility to be the tough one. He would take the role with a resounding pride as he grinned at her, giving her nose another assuring lick.

“This way!” he smiled, moving a little slower to allow her to stay against him if she wanted to. His head would tilt as he found the door he was looking for, taking in each little scratch mark on the wood that likely told endless stories of their own, but the wood could not speak to them. He’d try to push this door open next, only for it to be way more resilient from his nudging, not budging even slightly. A small whine of frustration sounded from his throat as he didn’t understand why until he looked up and saw a little latch stopping it from moving so easily. “Let me stand on back, sissy. Gotta move that out of way or no open,” he insisted, ignorant to the fact the latch was far too high up, even if they were stacked on one another.

manip + code: clae

At Haskell's urging to keep quiet, Sheik let her giggles die and gave him a pointed look before glancing at their parents who were not yet stirring from their sleep. She had almost forgotten they were there altogether and it was a wonder they had not yet awoken. But that was perfect, they would be able to do whatever they wanted so long as they stayed asleep and Sheik desperately wanted to do what she wanted right now. Which was go see this magical place her brother spoke of.

As they inspected the hallway, Hask gave her a reassuring lick to let her know they were safe and she smiled, giggling quietly at the touch. She was not usually as touchy as her brother was but she did not mind his touch most of all. He began heading off and she quickly moved to stay beside him, feeling like she was almost attached at his hip so long as they stayed going this pace. Once they reached a solid looking door, she watched as he tried to push and she tried to help him but it would not budge like their bedroom door had.

"Oh no," she whined quietly.

That was when Haskell got the bright idea to stand on her and open the latch far above them.

Sheik's ears perked and she glanced up, her blue eyes wide, and then she smiled. "Okay!" she said before moving to the door and leaning against it's side. "Come on, get it!" she urged, her little tail waggling behind her as she waited for him to climb atop her back.

manip + code: clae

He thought it was a little weird how close she was staying to him, more used to her running off at the drop of a hat than he was at her being clingy but he didn’t mind that much. It just gave him a chance to be the fearless big brother, willing to take on any threat and be a valiant knight like the rest of the family seemed to be. It made him so excited to think he might be like them one day, at least he told himself that. Not really sure that was what he wanted to do at all. He felt like it was destiny, to follow in the already created pawsteps of his ancestors time and time again. To rise up and grab that steel and provide a shield for all in need, making his bloodlines proud with praise after praise he could only imagine. His father was a healer though, so maybe not taking that route would be okay and he could carve a new path.

Getting lost in his thoughts, it took the whine of his sister to regain his focus and not get caught up on the future like he was starting to do, even if looking to the future was better than looking back. He almost offered her further assurance in that moment as he moved a little closer to her, though this time only his shoulder pressed into hers instead of giving her a sloppy lick again before his bright idea had taken shape.

His head would tilt with how quick she was to get into position before a big grin would flare along his muzzle to reveal pearly baby teeth in a toothy smile. He would drop his front half down, his booty wiggling in the air with anticipation and critical calculations with how much spring he needed in his step. Kicking one foot like a bull, he would charge forward in his puppy awkwardness before attempting to leap onto her back and not knock them both over in the process. Shakily, he would nearly fall right back off a few times but kept finding his balance again, not liking how her skin flexed under his paw for this particular objective. He did get distracted for a moment making shapes with his paws, watching her fur ripple under his weight and movements.

Trying to use how her skin molded to his paws, he would stand on his hinds the best he could, using the door as a means to keep himself up. There was no way he was going to reach that lock and he quickly realized that now that he was as high as he could go.

“Nohhhh use,” he said with a dramatic sigh. He did have another idea but before he could even speak the plan, he would suddenly hear paw steps. In a blink of an eye he found himself crashing to the ground and on top of his sister. “Oooof,” he huffed as the air shot out of him and his chest smacked into her back. “You otay? We gots to hide Sheek,” he murmured, scrambling to his paws again, running back toward the bedroom but pausing to make sure she was following.

manip + code: clae