Space Man

Brother

"And that's why I never go into the Nether without a fireproof suit. Last time I trust Tango about a 'shallow' lava pit," Xisuma said, shaking his head with a chuckle.

I couldn’t help but laugh along, picturing the chaos that must have ensued. “Let me guess, he had some overly complicated plan for getting you out of there?”

“Of course,” Xisuma replied, his lips twitching into a smile. “It involved pistons, slime blocks, and somehow a chicken. Don’t ask.”

I leaned back slightly, grinning. “Sounds like a classic Tango adventure.”

Xisuma turned the page in the photo album, revealing a candid shot of what looked like a younger version of himself and Xavier, sitting side by side near a campfire. He pointed at the picture, his eyes glinting with nostalgia. “This was one of my first trips to the wilderness. Xavier and I snuck out—”

The door suddenly flew open with a bang, and Xavier strode into the room, his expression a mix of exasperation and irritation. Without a word, he marched over to Xisuma’s bed and flopped down dramatically, sprawled out as though the weight of the world had just crashed down on him.

“Xisuma,” Xavier began, his voice dripping with frustration, “your friends are so annoying and dense.”

Xisuma blinked, startled, while I raised an eyebrow, unsure how to respond. Xavier didn’t stop there. He lifted his head, glaring at me for a moment, his sharp gaze almost comical in its intensity. “I think you found the only smart one out of the lot—but even that’s a stretch,” he added, waving a hand in my direction before flopping back onto the bed with a heavy sigh.

“Gee, thanks,” I muttered, crossing my arms but unable to keep the amused smirk off my face.

Xisuma, however, just shook his head and sat back. “What happened this time?”

“They’re like children!” Xavier huffed, sitting up and gesturing wildly. “I was trying to explain a simple concept to Ren and Doc, and they somehow managed to turn it into a debate about... I don’t even know! Wolves versus robots, or something equally ridiculous!”

Xisuma chuckled, clearly used to his brother’s dramatics. “Sounds like you’ve had an eventful day.”

“You have no idea,” Xavier grumbled before casting another glance at me, his irritation slowly being replaced by curiosity. “And what are you doing here, anyway?”

“Babysitting,” I replied dryly, earning an actual laugh from Xisuma and an eye roll from Xavier.

“Right,” Xavier said, waving me off as he leaned back on the bed again. “I forgot about that but Well, you’re doing a better job than anyone else would, so... carry on.”

I exchanged a glance with Xisuma, who just gave a small, amused shrug. Despite the interruption, I could tell Xavier’s presence had shifted the mood in the room, adding an air of liveliness that neither of us particularly minded.

Xisuma let out a soft sigh, his exhaustion clear as he adjusted himself in bed, clearly settling into the comfort of finally resting after what had been a long stretch of work. He glanced at Xavier, who was practically draped across him like a blanket, using Xisuma's legs as a pillow, and shook his head in mild amusement. “Keralis took my tablet so I can't even do any admin work if I wanted to,” Xisuma said with a hint of frustration, though his tone was much lighter than it probably would have been if he wasn’t so tired.

Xavier, not missing a beat, looked over at me with an unexpected grin. “Good job. Great job, actually. And you even tired him out,” he added, raising an eyebrow as he smirked. “You must be a wizard or something.”

I couldn’t help but chuckle at his comment. “I think it’s more about knowing how to distract him from work than anything magical,” I replied with a shrug, feeling a little self-conscious about how easy it had been to get Xisuma to relax in the end.

Xisuma, meanwhile, shifted slightly to get more comfortable, but his movements were slow, almost sluggish, as if every muscle was protesting after all the work he’d been doing. Xavier lifted his head without a word, giving his brother just enough room to adjust himself and lie down properly, before placing his head right back down on his brother’s lap. It was a simple gesture, but one that spoke volumes of their relationship.

I could tell that this wasn’t the first time Xavier had done this. The easy, natural way his brother shifted and let Xavier settle again, without even a thought to it, made it clear that this was a routine they had down pat. Xavier had a tendency to keep himself close to his brother, both in proximity and in care, no matter how exasperating he could be at times.

Xisuma, clearly still half-dozing, reached down with a lazy hand and gave Xavier’s hair a brief, fond ruffle, but said nothing. It was a small gesture, but I saw the quiet affection in it. A family bond, I thought. One that had likely been built through years of navigating their chaotic lives side by side.

“I guess I should be grateful you’re not as much of a handful as your brother,” I teased, glancing at Xavier with a wink. He shot me a playful glare in return but said nothing. Instead, he closed his eyes, content in his place, as though the world around him had momentarily ceased to matter.

Xisuma smiled softly, his eyes closing as well. The atmosphere in the room had shifted, the light teasing and banter filling the space, but underneath it all, there was a comforting stillness—like the kind of peace that can only come after a long day of tension and work. I watched them both, quietly content in the calm.

As I moved to get up, feeling like I should give them their space and let them unwind together, I was surprised when both Xavier and Xisuma stopped me.

"Where are you going?" Xavier asked, his voice unexpectedly soft, almost reluctant, as though he didn’t want the moment to end just yet.

I hesitated, glancing between the two of them, unsure of what to say. “I thought you guys might want some time alone,” I offered, still standing by the bed.

But Xisuma, still half-laying down, looked at me with a soft, almost pleading expression. "Stay," he said quietly. His voice was calm, and there was something about it that made me feel like I wasn’t a burden, but rather that my presence was wanted.

Xavier, sensing the shift, grinned mischievously. “Yeah, don’t go just yet. It’s a cuddle party now,” he teased, his voice light with humor but also with that underlying sincerity I hadn’t expected.

I couldn’t help but chuckle at his words, shaking my head in disbelief. "A cuddle party, huh?" I said, looking between the two of them.

Xisuma smiled, his eyes a little more relaxed now, clearly comfortable. "It’s been a long day. I think we could all use some rest," he added, his tone sincere, even if there was a bit of amusement in it.

Before I knew it, I found myself sitting back down on the bed, awkwardly at first, but soon being pulled in, not just by Xavier’s teasing but by the warm, inviting atmosphere they were creating.

It felt strangely natural, the three of us, sharing this simple, quiet space. Xavier laid his head back down, and Xisuma shifted just enough to make room. It was cozy, comforting, and for once, I didn’t feel the need to leave. We all just stayed there, in that shared, peaceful moment, letting the world outside fade away.

And in that stillness, I realized something: there was something undeniably soothing about simply being there with them, no rush, no pressure, just the comfort of being in each other’s company.