Between The Line || EstWilliam AU

Fourteen

It was a rare day when both Est and William were free from their usual routines. No homework hanging over Est's head, no school to deal with, and no friends bugging William to sneak out. They were at William's house, which had become more of a second home to Est since their parents were constantly busy with work. Est had his school bag slung over a chair, but for once, it stayed untouched.

"Hey, let's do something fun," William blurted out, leaning lazily against the couch, spinning a controller in his hand.

Est raised a brow. "You and I have very different ideas of fun," he said, teasingly adjusting his shirt collar as he sat down next to him.

William shot him a grin, knowing exactly what he meant. "Come on, Phi Est. We always do the same thing—study, study, study. You never relax. Can't we just do something else today?"

Est gave him a side glance, sighing softly. He knew he'd have to let loose every now and then for William's sake. "Alright, what do you have in mind?" he asked, leaning back into the couch, fully aware that William had something mischievous planned.

William's eyes lit up, quickly springing off the couch and heading to the corner of the room. He returned with a stack of games for his PS5. "This. Let's see if you're as good at this as you are with your books," William teased, already plugging in the console and handing Est a controller.

Est chuckled lightly, taking the controller and leaning forward. "If I win, you're helping me study for my exams next week."

William's mouth dropped open dramatically, and he flopped back into the couch. "Deal, but only if you're up for a real challenge," he said, smirking as he flipped through the games.

They played for a while, getting lost in the competitive back-and-forth. William, despite his usual nonchalant attitude toward most things, was intense when it came to games. He loved seeing Est lose focus, even if it was just for a little while. And Est, for all his composed, mature demeanor, found himself caught up in the fun too, occasionally letting out a groan of frustration or a laugh when William inevitably won a round.

At one point, after a particularly intense game, William let out a triumphant cheer and threw himself onto Est, arms wrapped around his neck in a playful headlock. Est laughed, his voice muffled by William's shoulder. "Okay, okay, you win. Now get off me," he said, but the fondness in his voice was clear.

William didn't let go right away, though. He clung to Est a little longer than necessary, burying his face in Est's shoulder. "See, you're no fun without me around. Admit it," he mumbled, half-joking but with a sincerity that Est could feel.

Est ruffled William's hair and grinned, pulling him closer before prying him off. "Alright, maybe I do need you around sometimes," he said quietly, and for a second, his serious tone slipped through the usual banter.

They settled back down after that, falling into a comfortable silence as the game music hummed in the background. William picked up the controller again but didn't start a new round just yet. He glanced sideways at Est, who was still sitting close to him, his usual composed expression softening in the relaxed atmosphere.

"Come on, one more round. You're not beating me that easily, Phi."

Est chuckled and leaned in, pressing start on the game. As they started playing again, both of them fell back into their easy, familiar rhythm. It was moments like this that reminded William just how much he depended on Est. Even if he didn't say it outright, even if he tried to act tough or indifferent, William knew that Est was his constant, the person who always had his back no matter what.

And deep down, Est knew it too. No matter how frustrating things got with William, no matter how much he worried about him, these moments reminded him why he cared so much. William wasn't just a brat, after all. He was his little brother—annoying, reckless, but someone Est couldn't help but love.

The game ended with William winning yet again, and he let out a loud cheer, jumping up from the couch and pointing triumphantly at Est. "See! Told you, you're no match for me!"

Est shook his head, laughing softly. "Alright, alright. You win today." He stood up, stretching his arms before heading toward the kitchen. "Now, let's eat. I'll make us something."

William followed after him, still buzzing with the adrenaline of the game. "You're gonna cook? What's the occasion?" he teased, leaning against the kitchen doorway.

Est glanced over his shoulder, smiling. "No occasion. Just taking care of my little baby, as always."

William rolled his eyes but couldn't hide the small smile creeping onto his face. For all his bravado and tough exterior, there was no denying how much he loved these moments with Est, the quiet times when it was just the two of them, where he could let his guard down and just be.

As Est started preparing dinner, the sounds of chopping and sizzling filling the kitchen, William grabbed a chair and sat down, watching him work. They didn't talk much, but they didn't need to. The silence between them wasn't awkward; it was comforting, filled with an understanding that only they shared.