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

193: The old him

July 12th - Prompt: Pale

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"Ed are you alright? You're looking rather pale..."

Edmund glanced up from where he'd been hesitating on taking his tunic off to wash. "Yeah, I'm just tired." He murmured.

Peter stared at him, nodding slowly. "It's been a long day." He breathed, splashing water on his face from the small river they'd found.

Edmund bit his lip. "Might've been a lot less dangerous though if you had listened to Lucy in the first place." He all but whispered.

Peter stopped to stare at him for ages, before shaking his head and turning away. "I don't wanna talk about that right now." He practically grumbled.

Edmund almost rolled his eyes, but decided not too and in the end sighed. Making sure his back was to his brother, he slipping off his tunic and shirt, bracing himself.

Sure enough he heard a sudden sharp intake of breath come from his older brother, and his eyes slipped shut.

"Ed-" Peter choked, staring in disbelief at the bruises covering his brother's back. "What happened?"

Edmund shrugged. "Those boys at the train station." He answered quietly. "They were exactly gentle."

Peter swallowed hard as his little brother turned to face him, and slowly shook his head. "I thought you were fine!" He exclaimed. "You never said anything!"

Edmund laughed bitterly. "Why would I?" He asked. "You weren't exactly happy that I had decided to jump in."

Peter sighed. "I wasn't happy," He snapped. "And now I'm even more unhappy, even your chest is covered in bruises!"

Edmund glanced down slowly, knowing Peter was right. He shrugged a little. "I just took a few kicks and punches is all." He said slowly. "I hurt them more than they hurt me though."

"Still..." Peter breathed.

"Also, I'm sure you're carrying your own lovely collection of bruises." Edmund shot at him. "Take your tunic off."

Peter glared at him. "Mine were my own fault." He said. "It was my fight, I was gonna get hurt. You on the other hand should've just stayed out of it."

Edmund scoffed. "When have I ever been able to do that?" He muttered. "You're my older brother Peter, has it ever once crossed your mind in the last year that you should probably start acting like it?"

All the colour drained from Peter's face, so much so that he went as pale Edmund. "That was-" He swallowed hard. "Harsh."

Edmund looked a little guilty, but he sighed. "It's the truth though." He said slowly. "Yes we can still have fun together, yes we can still have laughs, but for the most part you ignore me, and you're still doing so even in Narnia, don't think I haven't noticed it. The look you gave me when I said I believed Lucy, it looked like you wanted me to set on fire..."

Peter slowly looked down, but didn't say anything.

Edmund shook his head, turning away and washing off, before grabbing his tunic. "I'm going back to camp to get some sleep." He said quietly. "But know that I do still love you Pete, no matter how you act, and I will always, always be on your side..."

Peter watched him go, before swallowing hard and taking a deep, shaky breath.

He turned back towards the river, pulling back the shoulder of his tunic and glancing down at the bruise on his shoulder, sighing a little.

He glanced down at his reflection in the water, tears stinging his eyes.

And he only had one question to ask himself.

What had happened to the old him...?

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