Chapter Text
“Geez, Ry, how long does it take you to climb a ladder?”
Colt waited impatiently near the edge of the roof until two hands gripped the final rung and two eyes peered timidly over the eaves. His brother’s head quickly bobbed down again, despite the grin Colt gave him.
“You know, I’m not sure this is a good idea…we’re definitely not supposed to be up here, it’s a bad idea…it’s too high...and it’s dark out, so…”
“Just get up here and you’ll feel better, you big coward,” Colt said easily. He had known this would take some convincing. He also knew it was worth it. “It’s pretty flat. And it’s not that dark yet.”
Still looking nervous, Ryland rose into view. He seemed hesitant to take his feet off the ladder. Colt took his arm and firmly guided his brother beside him. It took everything in him to resist yanking Ryland onto the roof – he was being so, so slow – but Colt knew better than anyone when Ry needed a push and when he just needed support.
Ryland was already eyeing the ladder again. “Maybe…we should tell Mom about this. Just in case one of us breaks our arm.”
“I’m not gonna break my arm,” Colt scoffed. He was relieved to see Ry was comfortable enough to roll his eyes.
“Ok, fine. Maybe we should tell Mom in case I break my arm or you break your spine.”
Colt laughed, but then he saw Ryland scooting (slowly) from where he was sitting towards the edge of the roof. Oh, he was serious then. He was much further back than Colt, which gave the more impulsive brother time to reach the ladder first. With a kick that was more of a nudge, the ladder arced away from the house and fell full length in the yard.
By the look Ryland gave him, you would have thought Colt had just popped a hole in their life raft and started shouting ‘Here, sharkie sharkie! Come and get it!’
Colt waved off Ry’s stammering disbelief before it could turn into anger. The nerd didn’t stand up for himself often, but if he felt forced into something, boy could he whip into a frenzy. “Don’t worry, I can get down fine. And then I’ll put the ladder back up for you, promise.”
. . . . .
Ryland wasn’t particularly reassured by Colt’s promise. If he knew his brother at all, his plan would involve climbing things he shouldn’t climb and probably jumping from way too high to be safe.
But he would have the ladder again.
Ryland was tempted to ask Colt to do that now, so he wouldn’t be stuck up here in case of emergency (or if he just wanted to leave). He doubted Colt would fall for that, though. Ry knew his brother was cleverer than most people could see.
Colt interrupted his train of thought. Taking him by the shoulders, he looked straight in Ryland’s face. “Hey. Just relax, ok? You know I won’t let anything happen. And you know it’s worth it.”
Ryland felt himself breathe. He started to grin like he had when Colt first proposed this crazy idea. “Yeah. And yeah.”
“Ok then.” Colt flopped onto his back and Ryland did the same. “So, nerd, d’you think you can name every constellation?”