Not ready to give up (Jaden K)

[Flynn Kennedy]

Flynn knew that it was a long shot. Jaden's job often brought him away from London. At any given time, he could be halfway across the world, breaking a curse on an ancient vault or tomb. So it was very likely that he wouldn't find his little brother at Gringott's.

But since Jaden wouldn't respond to his owls, Flynn didn't even know where his brother lived. So his only hope was to stop by the bank and see if Jaden happened to be in. Now that Gavin was dead, Flynn was the oldest brother, and as such, it was his responsibility to check in on the youngest. He still had hopes that he could turn his younger brother around and keep him away from the darker side of magic.

At the moment, Flynn was standing outside of Gringott's, trying to talk himself into going inside. Maybe it was a bad idea. Maybe Jaden didn't want to see him. Well, scratch that. He knew his brother didn't want to see him. But he couldn't let that stop him, right?

Yet still he stood there. He couldn't figure out what to say... how to start things off. And maybe it was all pointless, anyway. Jaden probably wasn't even in. He was probably trying to break a curse on an ancient Mayan tomb at that moment.

He was about to turn around and walk away when the bank doors opened and someone stepped out.

[Jaden Lane Kennedy]

Jaden had a long day at work. All he wanted was to go to the nearest pub and have a stiff drink and maybe take home a feisty lady. He yawned and rubbed his eyes. He was sitting in the cart towards the deeper parts of Gringotts. He had to make sure that one very special vault was still tightly secured. It was. So Jaden found himself resting and trying to catch a nap before the end of his shift at work. It worked. He had just woken up. He would estimate that he'd been asleep for about thirty minutes. He yawned again and stretched. He tapped the cart with his wand and it sped towards the front of the bank.

When Jaden stepped off the cart into the main section of the bank, his boss eyed him suspiciously. He shrugged and muttered, "It was a tough one to find". He knew his boss wouldn't buy it. but oh well. He was a valuable tool to the bank, they wouldn't let him go. He clocked out and let out a sigh of relief. He was ready for that lady and that drink. As he stepped out into the evening light if Diagon Alley and immediately groaned. He should've just stayed in the vault.

"What do you want?" Jaden asked him briskly as he side stepped his brother and kept walking to wherever his feet led him.

[Flynn Kennedy]

Flynn turned at the sound of the door, but even then he hadn't dared to hope that Jaden would be the person walking through it. Some important wizard, or a wealthy old witch, perhaps. Maybe even a goblin. But to his surprise, it was Jaden. Flynn broke into a hopeful smile that quickly faded. Of course he'd known Jaden wouldn't be happy to see him. But still, he'd hoped...

He was frozen in place for a moment, as Jaden walked past him. Then he snapped into action and began to chase after his brother.

"I was hoping to find you," he said quickly. "I just... you weren't answering any of my owls, and I wanted to make sure you were all right."

[Jaden Lane Kennedy]

Jaden kept walking, even as he heard his brother speaking to him. He had gotten so used to ignoring his owls and pretending not to care at all, it was almost an unconscious effort now. Jaden never could quite figure out where he and Flynn had gone wrong. One day they were inseparable and the next day, they rarely spoke unless it was to argue. He assumed it had been the house difference and the fact that Jaden had always looked up to the oldest brother Gavin. He was smart, talented, and, well, a Slytherin. At one point in his life Jaden wouldn't have been able to tell you what was so important about Slytherin and being a pure-blood. All that he knew is that it was important. If he really wanted to admit it to himself, he still couldn't answer that question. But that didn't bother him. He accepted the fact that Gavin and he were both Slytherins and therefore better. Sometimes, at his weakest and most likely his drunkest, he would admit that he missed Flynn and found himself wishing they were still best friends, more occupied with the Irish quidditch team and catching the garden gnomes for their mother rather than trying to figure how their brother got murdered and why they still lacked the relationship they once had. It seems Gavin's death only made it worse for them.

Jaden glanced over his shoulder and scowled. Of course he would follow. Letting his annoyance get the better of him, Jaden stopped abruptly and turned towards his brother. He couldn't help but notice that his brothers accent was still thick with its native Irish accent. Jaden tried not to let that bother him, but it did.

"What the hell are you trying to get at?" He snapped before he turned away and started his walk again, shoving his hands in his pockets and jerking his head to get his hair out of his eyes. Jaden found the whole "big brother act" quite annoying.

[Flynn Kennedy]

Flynn had tried many times to figure out what had caused the split between him and his brothers. It really had seemed to happen overnight. Maybe it had happened the minute he was sorted into Ravenclaw, instead of Slytherin. It had marked him as different from the others, and in their eyes, inferior. But he'd always had some hope while Gavin was alive. Gavin had been his best friend once, and he'd held them together at least a little bit until his death. He could have brought them all back together if he'd chosen to. But he was gone, and Flynn had no idea how to reach Jaden.

He was used to the hostility by now, so Jaden's terse question didn't set him back at all. In fact, he expected it. He wasn't going to let it get to him.

"I just... Look, I'm the only big brother you've got left. Gavin would have wanted me to make sure you were doing OK."

[Jaden Lane Kennedy]

Whirling around to face his brother, he almost laughed. Almost. He couldn't believe what he was hearing. So all of a sudden, Jaden means something to him. Flynn wouldn't have anything to do with him (not that Jaden gave him much choice) when Gavin was alive and now all of a sudden, he has survivor's guilt and wants to make up for lost time. Jaden wasn't having it.

"How the hell do you know what Gavin wanted? I know that somewhere in your brain you think that you owe it to me and Gavin to try and take care of me, but trust me, you don't." The angrier he got, the more his Irish accent started to come out.

"You presume to know so much about me and what I need. Tell me brother," He sneered, "what is it that you think I need from you?" He turned sharply and started walking in another random direction. He didn't particularly like being hostile to his sibling, he'd rather just pretend like he wasn't there, but then Flynn wasn't making it easy for him either.

[Flynn Kennedy]

There was really only so much a guy could take before he lost it. Even a guy as good-natured as Flynn had his limits. He had been trying to reach Jaden for so long, and he just always stayed out of reach. Why couldn't his brother see how much he needed him.... how much they needed each other? The three of them had been inseparable once. Now they couldn't have been farther apart. Gavin was gone, but Flynn and Jaden were here.... but still separate.

"All right, fine!" he yelled, his accent so heavy that he was difficult to understand. "Maybe ye don' need me, but maybe I need you! Did ye ever think about that? Yer me brother, Jaden, and no matter what ye do, no matter how hard ye push me away, I'm not givin' up on you!"

[Jaden Lane Kennedy]

Even with his back turned towards his brother, Jaden flinched. He could still hear Gavin's voice in his head. No matter whose side your on, family is family kid. He stopped walking. Damn him and his conscience. And here he thought he was getting better at ignoring his brother. It certainly didn't help that Flynn sounded just like Gavin in that moment and he was pretty that Gavin would have wanted Flynn to be there.

He turned slowly towards his brother. "Will you please keep your voice down? You never know who is watching." He didn't need to say more. He was hoping his eyes said the rest. Despite low activity, Death Eaters had to be careful about what they did and who they associated it. And as much as Jaden could pretend like he didn't care what Flynn or what happened to him, he refused to see another brother dead because of him or his circumstance.

"If you insist on talking to me, then fine. I will. Somewhere more private." Jaden motioned with his head for Flynn to start walking. "And for the love of pearl Flynn, stop sending letters every day. My landlord keeps asking about the bird droppings." He almost smiled to himself. His accent was so Irish when around Flynn it was incredible. Usually, he can hide it pretty well. Only certain words give him away. But not with his brothers. His accent was always the heaviest with them.

[Flynn Kennedy]

Flynn could have danced a jig in that moment, but he managed to hold back. Surely any hope of a reconciliation between them would be ruined if he started acting like a fool if Jaden just agreed to talk to him.

"All right, anywhere you like," he said, hurrying to catch up with Jaden.

He wanted to ask why Jaden didn't want to talk to him out on the street, as if he had something to hide. Like maybe he was ashamed of his older brother. Even Gavin had never gone so far as to say that he was ashamed of Flynn... he just wished he could be more like him and Jaden.

"And I won't send so many letters," he added. He didn't ask whether Jaden had actually read any of them.

[Jaden Lane Kennedy]

"I know that look Flynn." Jaden stared down his brother, trying to keep the exasperation out of his voice. "Don't ask me what I'm hiding." He turned to continue to walk towards his apartment. "Please." He added. He hoped the seriousness in his tone would keep all questions at bay for now. He knew it wouldn't last long. His brother would worry to the point of a break down and then eventually bombard him questions.

"We can go to my place. We can talk there." Jade explained, taking a shortcut through a narrow alleyway. "This will give you a chance to clean up all the bloody bird droppings too." He smirked. What would Gavin say if he saw the pair now?

(Horrible. I am so sorry)