Between The Line || EstWilliam AU

Two

The sun had barely risen when Est woke up, stretching his arms and getting ready for the day ahead. It was a weekend, the perfect time for him to catch up on extra studying and assignments. Unlike most of his classmates who used weekends as a chance to relax, Est took every opportunity to prepare for his final exams. His study table was neat and organized, a clear reflection of his disciplined approach to life.

Est opened his biology book, flipping to a chapter about biotechnology, one of his favorite topics, was highlighted in his notes. He began to write down equations and diagrams in his neat handwriting, engrossed in the material. The house was quiet, except for the sound of his pen gliding over paper.

Meanwhile, the other room across Est's, William was still sprawled out in bed. He had stayed at Est's house every weekend, knowing his mother won't be at home for days. He stayed up late at night, texting his friends and watching random videos, completely unaware of the time. The weekend, to him, was an escape from everything school-related. He groaned as he slowly opened his eyes, realizing how bright the room had become. His stomach rumbled, urging him to head downstairs.

William made his way to the kitchen, his steps sluggish. He had just grabbed a snack from the counter, then he looked around, in search of Est who nowhere to be found. Then he went back upstairs, crack open Est's room. He noticed Est, sitting at his study table with books spread out. William blinked, almost confused by the sight.

"You're seriously studying on a weekend?" William muttered, his voice thick with sleep. He plopped onto the couch sitting near Est's bed, munching on his snack.

Est didn't look up at first. "Of course. I've got test coming up."

William rolled his eyes. "Yeah, well, I've got plans with the guys later. Gonna head out."

Est finally looked at him, raising an eyebrow. "Not before you finish your homework."

"I'll do it later." William shrugged, but Est's sharp gaze told him that wasn't an option.

"Bring me your homework," Est said, his tone leaving no room for argument. He knew William can't say no to him, even tho he whines about it, at the end William will give in.

William groaned, leaning back dramatically on the couch. "Come on, Phi, it's weekend! Let me breathe a little."

"No homework, no hanging out," Est replied firmly, turning back to his books.

William sighed loudly, but he knew better than to argue. Est wasn't one to back down when it came to academics, and as annoying as it was, William knew he couldn't escape. Reluctantly, he dragged himself back to his room to grab his backpack, fishing out the crumpled papers that were his science assignments.

He returned, slouching next to Est at the table, tossing the papers down. "Here. Happy?"

Est glanced at the mess of worksheets, uncrumpling them with a sigh. "Your handwriting's getting worse."

"I don't care," William muttered, tapping his fingers impatiently on the table.

Est scanned the homework and let out a hum. "Alright, we're starting with inertia. You didn't even try to answer this one, did you?"

William shrugged. "It's boring. What's inertia even supposed to be?"

Est suppressed a sigh of exasperation. "Inertia is a property of matter. It means that an object will stay at rest or in motion unless acted on by an external force. It's basically Newton's First Law."

William stared at him blankly.

"Here." Est grabbed a small object—a pen—and placed it on the table. "This pen is at rest, right?"

"Yeah..." William watched him with minimal interest.

Est gently pushed the pen. "Now, I apply force to it, and it moves. That's inertia. Without force, it wouldn't have moved."

William let out a half-hearted laugh. "Yeah, okay. That's simple."

"Great, then explain it on your homework." Est handed William a pen and his worksheet, his eyes narrowing as if daring him to argue.

William scowled but took the pen. He scratched out a few words, clearly uninterested, but Est didn't let him get away with it.

"You're not done. You haven't answered the part about the difference between inertia and momentum."

"Oh, come on! No one cares about that!" William huffed, tossing the pen on the table.

Est sighed, leaning back in his chair. "If you don't get this done, you're not going anywhere with your friends. So you might as well finish it."

William glared at him, frustration bubbling up. "You're not my dad, even my dad in the grave didn't care about me. Why do you care so much?"

Est softened his tone, though his resolve didn't falter. "Because you're smart enough to do this if you actually try. And I care about you, Will. I don't want you to fall behind just because you think it's boring."

William crossed his arms, sulking. He didn't like being scolded, especially not by Est, but he couldn't argue with him either. "Fine, whatever. I'll do it."

"Good." Est smiled, nudging the pen back toward him. "And I'll help you. We'll get through this faster together."

Reluctantly, William started writing again, following Est's clear instructions. As they went over the topic, Est explained everything in more detail—using real-life examples to make it more relatable. At one point, he even stood up, demonstrating inertia by sliding a book across the table, making William crack a small smile despite himself.

As minutes passed, William found himself understanding the concept better, though he'd never admit it out loud. It wasn't fun, but it was easier with Est guiding him. He couldn't help but respect how patient and calm his 'older brother' was, even when William had been difficult.

By the time they were done, William sighed in relief, tossing his pen down. "Finally."

Est glanced over his work, nodding approvingly. "See? That wasn't so bad."

"Yeah, well, you didn't have to force me into it," William grumbled.

"If I didn't, you'd still be in bed." Est smirked, standing up to stretch. "Alright, you're free to go now."

William grinned, getting up quickly and grabbing his phone. "About time!"

Before he could dash off, Est's voice stopped him. "Just... remember what I said, okay? You're smarter than you think, Will. Don't waste that."

William hesitated, glancing back at him. For a second, he considered making a snarky comment, but instead, he gave a short nod. "Yeah, yeah. Whatever."

But deep down, he appreciated it. Est's words always stuck with him, even when he didn't want to admit it.

As William hurried out the door, ready to meet up with his friends, Est sat back down at his study table, feeling content. Even though William was a handful, moments like this made it worth it.