Them

Date/timing: 18 January 2016
Setting: Riley home; Darwin, Australia
.
Lachlan, black folder tucked under his arm, creeps into the house through the back door, closes it as quietly as possible. He holds very still, listens.
Singing from the TV room up front.
Lennon.
He takes a deep breath, tiptoes as quickly as he can—hits the squeaky board halfway along of the hall dead on. He freezes mid-cringe.
""Lachlan? That you?""
"Yea." He resumes his scuttle, dives into his room, stuffs—
""What's that?""
—jams the folder in his desk drawer, whirls, aims for 'clueless'. "What's what?"
"You just tried to hide something from me, ye sneaky little toerag."
Lachlan blinks innocently.
Lennon taps a foot and frowns.
Lachlan slouches, fishes the thing back out, hands it—
Lennon recoils, makes a warding gesture.
"You okay?"
"What. Did. You. Do."
Lachlan takes a deep, deep breath. "I enlisted."
"You. What."
"Enlisted with the PPDC."
Lennon smolders.
"They specifically recruited me and offered a bonus if I signed up."
The smolder bursts into flame. "They came for you because you're Larrakia."
"They're trying to bring in more Indigen—"
"They want you /dead!"
"Not everything's a conspiracy, Len."
"You can't be /this dense!"
"Len—" Lachlan swallows. "—you've been remembering your meds, ay?"
"Of course I ha—you think I'm manic?!"
He rubs the back of his neck. "You're acting kinda paranoid."
"Because my little brother just volunteered to be cannon fodder for the colonial government!"
"I'm not going to be on the front line. Odds are I'll be a tech and holed up in some nice, safe office somewhere."
Lennon's jaw works.
Lachlan puts on his most charming smile.
"I can't /believe you!" Lennon shrieks. "Signing on with /Them!"
Lachlan sighs. "Without /Them, there won't be /anyone in Australia before too long, /including our family."
"But—"
"The enemy of my enemy is my friend." Smiles, all teeth. "At least until the Kaiju are gone."
Lennon huffs.
"Think of all the things I'll learn that'll be useful in The Good Fight."
Lennon deflates. "Just come back alive and sane."
"I promise."
"Screw promises. Just do it." She puffs back up. "You die and I'm gonna bring you back so I can kill you myself."
"So much for pacifism."
"Sometimes violence is justified. /Especially when stupid little brothers are involved."
Lachlan rolls his eyes.
Category:Ficlet
Category:Darwin (setting)
Category:Lachlan
Category:Lachlan's POV
Category:Lachlan (ficlet)
Category:Lennon
Category:Lennon (ficlet)
Category:PPDC
Category:Ficlets with images