Saltwater Eventides - Crimeboys

3.

Tommy is ten years old when the ocean waves begin to recede.

Wilbur is just starting college, and the new workload on top of going to a different school further away makes for some changes in routine. He doesn't take Tommy to school in the mornings nor does he fetch him at night, with his classes starting and ending much later. He doesn't cook breakfast for both of them nor does he get home on time to cook dinner for both of them at a normal time. There are days where they don't see each other at all, and there are weeks where they only get to talk on weekends. There are days where he feels terribly lonely, and there are weeks where the house feels way too silent.

In lieu of his brother's company, he is soon gifted a gaming console that he quickly fawns over and tries to install in their living room. His brother laughs at him and moves over to help after cleaning up the tatters of gift wrapping left on the floor, and soon everything else as well is forgotten as they are quickly absorbed in playing a cooperative game. Player One's primarily red color scheme catches his eye, and he selects the character instantly. His brother rolls his eyes and settles with Player Two, playfully complaining about the blue color scheme even though they both know he doesn't exactly hate the color and actually quite likes it. Tommy's random button mashing and colorful commentary sends Wilbur into hysterics, and for a moment it is as though they are just kids all over again.

This becomes their saving grace of sorts, helping them connect in a fragile bridge that the large disparity in their ages and life experiences would have otherwise burned into nothingness. It ends up as a routine, even. Every Friday and Saturday nights, they both find themselves at the living room in the beginnings of night just playing through whatever games they could get their hands on that week. It fills up the house with joyous laughter and muffled screams, and it fills up their hearts with warmth and happiness.

For the other days of the week, however, playing games is but a solitary activity. There are no waters holding him afloat and embracing him, only the week old blanket haphazardly strewn over his shoulders as he shivers in the night breeze. There is no siren's song gently lulling him to a pleasant dreamless sleep, only the repetitive tune of 8bit music in his ears as he struggles to stay awake. There is no older brother lovingly whispering reassurances into his ears, only the sounds of his character slowly dying and the "Game Over! Try Again?" announcement that punctuates the moment he drifts off to sleep.

He barely ever sees the ocean anymore, just as how he barely ever sees his brother anymore. He barely ever hears the siren's temptations anymore, just as how he barely ever is sung to sleep by his brother anymore. With no one to take him to their special place, he can't exactly visit it. With no one to sing to him on restless nights, he can't exactly be lured into the depths. He doesn't even remember where their special place is exactly, which is a bit embarrassing for him if he's being honest. It's something he holds dear, and he doesn't even know it all that well. It's something he holds dear, and he can't even seek it out on his own no matter how much he wants to.

Tommy doesn't mind. He understands that college is a new experience, and that Wilbur is busier than ever. He understands that he has to take care of himself, and that his brother won't be with him every step of the way. He understands, but he can't help feeling a little resentment at the circumstances that they're in. He understands, but he can't help feeling a little sting of pain as he so very deeply misses his brother's company. And yet, he still feels it would all be okay.

The sun will always set on the ocean. A human will always be beckoned by a siren's call. A younger brother will always follow his older brother. He doesn't need to question where they're headed to, just needs to train behind his brother as though he was his shadow.

Tommy trusts Wilbur with every fiber of his being. He would follow him to the ends of the earth, go along with whatever plan he could come up with. After college ends, surely everything would be back to normal. He just has to endure this for the time being, and he could wait for however long it would take for Wilbur to come back to him.

He trusts that his brother works to make it work. At the end of the day, that's more than enough for him.