Sideways

Chapter 12 One Man's Worth

There are many things Evan Buckley is, but what he's not right now is happy... It's never fun when your 6ft 230lbs older brother frog splashed you when you're sleeping off the red eye from Coronado to Harrisburg.

Evan hadn't even been back in the country for 24 hours before hopping on a flight to Pennsylvania to spend Thanksgiving with his family.

"If you don't get off of me right now, I am going to use lethal force." Evan says playfully.

"Oh, is Mr. Bad Ass Navy Seal cranky this morning?" Daniel asks while poking Evan in his side.

"Danno, if you don't get off my now, you're going to feel it for a week. I landed at 4 am; I maybe slept for an hour before you jumped on me."

Daniel keeps poking Evan in the side until Evan grabs his hand and twists his finger in a position it's not meant to go in.

"Fuck, that hurt you, little shit." Daniel says while examining his finger for permanent damage. "Mom said if you don't get up for breakfast now, she isn't cooking for you later.

"I'm going back to bed. I make a better breakfast than Mom does, anyway. I need to get some sleep, Danno. I only got back from overseas yesterday, then packed a bag and hopped on the red eye." Evan says as he pulls the blanket over his head and groans.

Daniel pokes him in the side again, "Don't worry, little brother, I'll keep Mom and Dad out of your hair for now. I'll wake you up in a few hours."

Evan hears the door click closed and pulls the blanket down off his head. He has a moment to take in his childhood bedroom, looking over the movie posters and action figures on the shelves before he groans and rolls over, trying to get comfortable.

He starts focusing on his breathing, purposefully slowing his heart rate to calm himself down. He feels himself start to drift off as he hears a voice that echoes. "Because Evan." He shakes his head before another voice further away, this time saying, "You're the heart of this family, Buck." He has a moment to question who the hell Buck is before sleep takes him.

Four hours later, Evan sits at the dining room table across from his older brother. Daniel throws him a brown paper bag. Evan catches it instinctively. He opens it, and the smell hits him. "Is this a..." Daniel nods at him "from...." Daniel nods again. "Ok, I may have overreacted with the finger knot this morning." Evan says as he opens a bacon, egg, and cheese on an everything bagel.

"You are the greatest sibling ever." Evan says as he takes a bit. "Seriously, Maddie has nothing on you." He continues with a mouth full of food.

"Don't let her hear you say that." Daniel laughs at him.

"Hey, I am a Chief Petty Officer, highly trained to handle difficult situations."

"I'll let her know then."

Evan cuts him off, "I said I was highly trained, but even I know enough not to fuck with Maddie."

They both laugh, enjoying each other's company.

"What is on the agenda today?" Evan asks him.

"Maddie and Doug should be here in an hour or so. Dinner is at 4. You have time to go shower and stuff before Maddie and the douche canoe gets here."

Evan nods at him in agreement before wrapping up his trash and throwing it at Daniel. "Where are the rents? He asks as he heads towards the stairs.

"They are in the lounge."

"Fuck. Are they already started drinking?" Daniel nods in confirmation. "Jesus Christ, it's going to be one of those days, isn't it." Evan says as he starts to walk up the stairs. "Welcome home, little brother. Daniel's voice echoes up the stairs behind him.