(no subject)

[bittyliam]

Liam is having another night of insomnia, so he wanders the hallways of the Mansion, careful to check so he won't run into a bad Chain or danger.

It's one of those nights when even the frog's noise isn't enough to convince him that the world beyond his door still exists. One of those nights where he feels alone. And even though Rufus told him that he should knock on his door if this happens, and big-him said the same thing, he doesn't want to bother anyone.

So he wanders.

[private to almost_knightly]

Comments

[almost_knightly]

It's that kind of night for Break, too, but to be honest, he's rather enjoying it. He appreciates the opportunity to be still and calm -- life has been hectic of late, stressful and almost too full. If he were at home, he'd have his iPod on with the same song on repeat for hours on end, but here he only has the flowers, and they're rather too active for this sort of feeling.

He can be found hanging half out of some random window and lit only by the full moon, enjoying the cool breeze and the stars he doesn't get to see in the city at home.

[bittyliam]

Liam sees him when he rounds the corner, and approaches quietly. He's surprised to see someone awake, aside from the usual nocturnal denizens of the Mansion. If he ran into anyone, he would've expected it to be big-him.

"Mister Break? Do you have insomnia, too?"

[almost_knightly]

He's approaching on Break's right side, so he isn't startled by him. He lets his eyes linger on the moon for a moment before he turns to the boy, looking pleasantly sleepy. After a moment, he holds his arm out, inviting him over.

"I don't have it meself, but my Liam does. Sometimes I stay up wiv him to keep him company."

[bittyliam]

Liam comes closer, looking up at the moon for a moment.

"So he's like me and big-me?"

Liam tilts his head, curious.

"Is he your special person?"

[almost_knightly]

Well. That should make Break spit his tea or something, but just now he's calm enough that the question only earns a resigned huff.

"He is," Break says. Bitty would figure it out eventually anyway. "We've been togevver a very long time. He's even older than big-you."

[bittyliam]

"He is? So you're older than the other Mister Breaks?"

Liam looks up at him.

"What's your Mister Liam like?"

[almost_knightly]

"I am. I'm the second-oldest Break in the mansion. And he's...well, he's what big-you might be if he remembers how to have fun."

He ushers the boy closer so he can stand between Break and the window, and points out at the moon.

"I'll tell you somefing neat he told me once. Do you know much about outer space?"

[bittyliam]

"I'm trying to help him remember. Did your Mister Liam ever forget?"

Liam stands on tip-toes to peer out and up.

"The moon revolves around the earth revolves around the sun, and stars are each a little sun."

[almost_knightly]

"That's right. And our sun is so big that even when our half of the world is turned away and it's nighttime, the light of the sun shines around the planet and reflects off the moon. That's what moonlight is -- it's the moon catching the sunlight and handing it back to us. So even though it doesn't look like it, the sun is always there."

It's a somewhat less scientific-sounding description of moonlight than Liam might have come up with. But then, really, Break was always the fluffy dreamer of the two.

"He almost forgot, once."

[bittyliam]

"The moon is like a big mirror? To remind us the sun is still there?"

That makes him feel marginally better, actually.

The forgetting is relevant to his interests.

"How did he remember?"

[almost_knightly]

"He came over to my apartment, upset because he had been working so hard that he couldn't fink straight anymore and he fought he was gonna fail in his work. He hadn't slept in days. I had a favorite Chinese restaurant deliver dinner for us and we sat and talked all night long about everyfing but work, and then he fell asleep on my couch.

"When he woke up, he went home and finished his work and everyfing was fine. After that he took more time to rest and forget about working so much."

[bittyliam]

Liam thinks about that for a moment, still looking up at the moon.

"I-I'm not his Mister Break, but... Do you think getting him to play outside with me is helping?"

[almost_knightly]

"I do believe it is," Break says dryly, "given that just a few days ago instead of hiding out in his room and sulking, he put frogs in my bafftub and had himself a good laugh over it."

[bittyliam]

Liam's eyes widen at that and he stares up at Break.

"That was big-me?"

[almost_knightly]

"He was playin' a prank," Break says, tapping Bitty's nose fondly. Now that it's all over with, he really doesn't seem too worked up about it. "I'll figger out a way to get 'im back for it, but it'll take some very careful planning."

[bittyliam]

He blinks at the tap on his nose.

"Why did he prank you, Mister Break?"

[almost_knightly]

"Because I like to tease him, and he was getting me back. It's a way grown-ups play, on occasion."

[bittyliam]

Liam frowns at that, a little confused.

"So if you were teasing him and he pranked you because of it, isn't it over? Why are you going to prank him back?"

[almost_knightly]

"Because if I didn't, the game would end, wouldn't it?"

Break ruffles Bitty's hair a bit, and stands.

"Come along. I'll make you my Liam's favorite treat, and then I've got somefing for you what might help you sleep."

[bittyliam]

"I guess. Are you mad about his prank, Mister Break? I know you're scared of-- I mean, I know you don't like frogs."

He perks up a bit at the mention of a treat.

"Really? What's his favorite treat?"

[almost_knightly]

"Mm -- I'm not as mad as I could be. I'd be really mad if someone else had done it to me, but since it's Liam, it's okay. I know he'd never have done it if he'd fought I'd be truly hurt by it."

He'll just disregard the "scared of frogs" business for now. Liam also wouldn't have done it if it had been one of those fears he couldn't get over -- frogs were creepy and slimy and hateful, but he could deal with them if he had to.

"You'll see what it is when I make it, won't you?" Break teases, holding his hand out for Bitty's.

[bittyliam]

"So you trust big-me, even though he put frogs in your bathroom and made you scream and lock yourself out of your room?"

Liam takes his hand, not bothered that it's a surprise, because he knows Break wouldn't make it a mean or scary surprise.

"Uh-huh. If your Mister Liam likes it, does that mean I will, too?"

[almost_knightly]

"Yes, because if I was in trouble and really needed his help, I know he'd do whatever he could."

The kitchen is a bit of a walk from here, but that's alright, Break thinks. It's such a nice night.

"Well, I dunno. You might as well try it. Do you like autumn fings?"

[bittyliam]

Liam smiles at that.

"Big-me is really nice about that. He's helped me lots."

He doesn't mind walking; after all, he was wandering aimlessly when he came upon Break.

"Autumn things, Mister Break? Like what?"

[almost_knightly]

"Liiiike apple pie wiv extra cinnamon in. The smell of the very first woodfire of the season. When it gets just cold enough you can wear your favorite jacket again after going wivout it all summer, and leaves changing colors."