<3// Pen..Pals? //<> - (A DirkJake Fanfiction)

The Fault In Our Brotherhood- Chapter 13

"Bro, you should've warned me about the stairs."

"I should be there to warn you about the stairs you'll face in your life. I should play a part in your life." He said, with conviction. He was being serious. "I should be an actual parental figure, and I know that now, and fucking hell, I ended up with you in hospital - it won't happen again."

Well, I did still have another arm. "It's not your fault I broke my arm. It's also probably due to all the hormones that are soaring 600 miles per hour inside me, they're like jets hyped up on the latest junk."

"Yeah, but all I've been doing thus far is have cups of coffee and bury myself in my study and leave dangerous movie props and merch laying around. How did you even survive that first year when you were 7 years old with me?

"I am legally your guardian, Dirk. Not even by paperwork. We're brothers. I'm supposed to watch out for you instead of being consistently busy with the next big script or comic. It's time I start acting like your older brother instead of a lazy-ass deuterantagonist from a Jack Black movie."

"Dave, listen." I closed my eyes, still feeling sick to the core. I felt like an apple, slowly turning brown. "I've got crazy amounts of aesthetics and pain killers running through me right now but it's obvious to me that not everything I said before the stairs was fair on you."

"Bro, no, if you want me to actually focus on your life rather than your shades then you're right."

"No, I just, I-" Bro sat up in his chair, attentive. "I just wish sometimes that you yourself wouldn't put on such a fucking show around me all the time. You're every kid's role model across the country. Lowlifes look up to you; 6 year olds watch your films hiding behind the sofa looking over their parent's shoulders; you own a fucking media emprie for God's sakes. I just wish that you could drop all the facades you hold for some stranger sitting in mexico in front of their phone screen, and just be home yourself. That's who I look up to. It irritates me when you put that person back away. I just might've come off harsh before, so I also apologize."

"Drop the cool guy shit at home?"

"Yes, at least at home. You're a director, not an actor - though that one film you did begs otherwise."

"Stop trying to stroke my ego, but yeah, I think I looked great as a post man space warrior don't you?"

"Ace."

"Excuse me, sir," A stranger's voice entered the room succeeding a knock on the door. "We're going to need to put the cast in.

Bro sighed. It was one of the first times I'd seen him look genuinely stressed. I'd nearly forgotten how emotional his eyes could be. The curse of the Striders. "Can you give us 5 more minutes?"

"My pleasure." The doctor shut the door, and Bro turned back around and looked at me.

"Dirk, and about your sexuality."

Fuck, I'd nearly forgotten about that. Choosing to come out when you're being an asshole is probably not the best choice.

"I completely support. I'm fine with whoever you choose to love. I actually think Jake English is quite a good option."

"Yeah, I'll, um - take that into consideration." My cheeks got hotter. Or was it just the room? I used my right hand to rub the red away from my face.

"What color cast did you choose?" Dave continued, trying hard to make conversation. It didn't look like it was being too difficult. Actually, the brotherly cool conversation starters didn't annoy me besides being small talk. He had a natural knack for it.