A year as a Narnian || 365 Narnia one shots (Part two)

209: Peter doesn't cry...

July 28th - Prompt: I hate you

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"Mum says dinner's ready Ed."

Edmund glanced up from his book. "I'm not hungry." He muttered.

Peter sighed, rolling his eyes. "You've got to eat Edmund." He told him.

Edmund looked back to his book and shook his head. "I need to do this homework seeming as someone decided to tell Mum I was slacking in all my work."

Peter mentally facepalmed. "You know she would've found out eventually?" He said. "The school is probably writing her a letter as we speak."

"Well you didn't have to tell her I wasn't doing my homework." Edmund snapped. "I mean, who cares about bloody homework, it's the Christmas holidays for goodness sake."

"Language Ed." Peter muttered. "If Susan heard you saying that she'd go mad."

Edmund rolled his eyes. "So what?" He grumbled. "Just because Susan's so bloody perfect."

Peter sighed. "Look, tea is ready." He said. "And I'm sure Mum would be happy to see you downstairs for once."

Edmund glared at him. "What's that supposed to mean?" He muttered.

"What it means is you never come downstairs." Peter snapped. "You spend most of your time up here."

"So?"

Peter glared at him. "Would it hurt you to spend a little time with your family every now and then?" He asked.

Edmund snorted. "It probably would yes." He replied. "Mum won't say it but I know she's disappointed in me and my school work. You'll just end up shouting at me for no apparent reason. Susan will give me that unimpressed look like she always does, and Lucy - well you get the picture."

"And you wander why Mum is so disappointed, why I shout at you all the time, why Susan gives you that look?" Peter almost laughed. "You're slacking at school, your grades are falling a lot Ed, you're not even trying anymore."

"So?" Edmund muttered again.

"I shout at you all the time because you shout at me first!"

Edmund snorted. "Okay."

"And Susan gives you that look because you don't join in any conversation." Peter finished.

"Wow, you make me out to be a total jerk." Edmund grumbled.

"Well you are!" Peter snapped. "I'm sorry but it's true. Perhaps you should think about bucking your ideas up, or everyone in this family is gonna end up hating you."

Edmund snapped his book shut and stood from the bed. "Perhaps you should stay out of things that don't concern you." He muttered. "This has nothing to do with you Peter so butt out would you."

"No, it does concern me, I'm your older brother." Peter told him. "And I think it's about time you grew up and learnt that not everything is about you. We all miss Dad, Edmund. Trust me we do. But you don't see us all acting like you, do you? You're just being selfish, we've tried everything we can to help you, but guess what, you've pushed us all so far away that we don't want to help you anymore, because you just make it so dang hard!"

Edmund glared at him, before he snapped.

Peter caught his brother's fist as it came flying at his face, slightly startled that Edmund had gone to punch him.

"I hate you!" Edmund cried, frustration in his voice.

"I figured." Peter grumbled.

"I wish you weren't even my brother!"

Peter took a deep breath, he must admit, that had hurt.

He pushed Edmund easily away, a little too hard though as he landed on the floor, but he couldn't say he really cared.

"If you don't want me to be your brother anymore, fine." He muttered. "I won't be, I won't help you anymore, perhaps I won't even talk to you anymore."

"Good." Edmund growled. "I don't need your help."

Peter raised an eyebrow and laughed. "Okay sure." He muttered.

"Just get lost Peter." Edmund snapped. "Tell Mum I'm not hungry."

Peter rolled his eyes. "Whatever." He grumbled, before leaving the room, making sure to slam the door as loud as he could behind him.

"What's going on up there?!"

Edmund stood slowly when he heard his Mum's voice, and rolled his own eyes. No doubt Peter would now go downstairs and rant to their Mum, slagging Edmund off at every opportunity he got.

But not on Edmunds watch.

After listening for a minute and hearing nothing, Edmund yanked open his bedroom door and headed across the hallway.

Making his way slowly down the stairs, he listened closely, ready to catch anything Peter was saying about him.

As he reached the bottom of the stairs though he froze, who was crying?

It didn't cross his mind for a single second that it could be his brother, after all Peter doesn't cry, but when he peered into the kitchen, it was to see Peter sat at the table, face buried in his hands and shoulders shaking.

His Mum was stood beside him, a hand on the back of his head as she comforted him, whispering something under her breath that Edmund couldn't hear.

Edmund stood there in shock for a while, before guilt hit him like a ton of bricks, much to his surprise.

But he had made Peter, the one person who never cried, cry, and despite his cold heart, all the ice melted away in that moment, and he found himself backing away from the door.

As he turned to walk back up the stairs again, hands in his pocket and head down, he finally heard Peter talk. "I - I miss the old Ed." He choked.

Edmund heard his Mum sigh. "So do I Peter." She murmured. "So do I."

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