Anxiety

Formerly "Derek"

## Meta

**Timing:** After "Wiser", before Charlie and Jackson move in together and Derek is emancipated

**Setting:** Jackson's bachelor flat

## Text

Jackson drums his fingers against his desk, bounces a knee, tries not to count rings.

""This is Charlie.""

"Hey, Charlie. Jackson. Uh, about tonight ...."

He can hear the pout gathering.

"My[—] So, my little brother, Derek—"

""He coming for the holiday?""

"Yea [...] This afternoon, actually."

""I'll bring extra groceries.""

"You're cool with this?"

""Why wouldn't I be?""

"We had plans?"

""Now we have other plans.""

"And that's okay[?]"

""Yes, Jackson, I am totally fine with having your brother over.""

Blows out a breath. "Thank you, Charlie, thank you thank you thank you."

""Maybe wait to say that until after the weekend? Isn't that how these things go?""

"Oh, no, he's—nothing to worry about, at all, he's—he's really sweet. I think you'll like him."

""Anything like you?""

"It's ... kinda hard to explain?"

'Give it a shot,' says her pause.

"He's a nerd, too, but [...] What do you know about anxiety disorders?"

""Brain thing that interprets everything as 'danger'.""

"That ... explains a lot, actually. So he's got one of those."

'Go on.'

"And he called this morning, twitchy as hell, because our [parents'd] declared open war on each other /**a**-gain and he inevitably got caught in the middle so I said he could stay for a few days." Jackson sighs. "I woulda told you sooner—"

""Jackson. It's okay.""

"I really appreciate it."

""Should I get anything in particular?""

"Just a lot."

""Of food? Why?""

"He's fifteen."

""Only child, here.""

"Means he eats {about} his weight [in groceries] every eight hours or so."

[Charlie snorts a laugh.] ""See you tonight.""

"Can't wait."

[.]

Footsteps sound from the stairs.

"That's her," Jackson announces brightly.

The weedy teen huddled on the easy chair sighs.

"She'll love you. Don't worry about anything." Jackson grins, tucks away his laptop, pops up from the couch, and sprints to the door.

Charlie's key turns in the lock.

Jackson bounces on his toes.

The door swings open and Charlie smiles at him.

"Hey," greets Jackson, rubbing his neck.

"Hey." Charlie steps past him, heads for the kitchen.

"I'm /**really** sorry. I /**know** we had plans to go hiking in Towra this weekend, but I /**couldn't** just leave him with our parents. When they're like this, it's pure /**hell** on the kid."

Charlie thunks the groceries on the table. "It's /**okay**. Family's important. I get that." Hugs Jackson. "So introduce me to him."

"Right!" Jackson steps lightly to the family room.

Charlie follows at his heels.

"Hey, Derek—"

The kid tenses.

"—this's Charlie."

"Hi," greets Charlie.

Derek flicks his eyes over her face, sketches a wave, ducks behind his book.

"Think fast."

Derek jumps—

Charlie throws a stress ball at him—

"Charlie!"

—vanishes behind his book.

"Good. I'll let you stay until Tuesday." Returns to the kitchen.

"Charlie!" squeaks Jackson, running— "I am /**so** sorry, Derek, she's never done that." Hurries after her, hisses, "What was that?!"

"Asked a school counselor. Said he's gonna be looking for reasons for us to kick him out, so I gave him the condition for his stay."

Jackson blinks. "That's brilliant."

Charlie shrugs. "Tim Tam?"