Title: Bedtime Hour
Rating: G
Summary: It's Merimac's first night in the room he shares with his brother.

Special thanks to Slightly Tookish for betaing.

~*~*~

"It's quite a big room, isn't it?"

Saradoc blinked into the darkness of his bedroom - no, theirs - but made no reply.

"I mean, it's really big."

"It's average, Mac," he mumbled and snuggled deeper into his blanket with a contented, sleepy sigh.

"Don't you think it's huge?" his brother continued, oblivious. "And so quiet. You can't hear a thing from the common rooms."

"That's because we're in the upper level and the common rooms are not."

"Yes," Merimac confirmed. "But it's still quiet. And dark."

"Mac," Saradoc grumbled and pulled the blanket over his head. "It's dark because you're supposed to sleep and you won't know it's dark anyhow." If his brother was going to talk all night he would have to discuss this with their father again in the morning. Life had been so nice in a room of his own.

"But what if I wake up," Merimac inquired. The bed creaked as the younger shifted his weight. "I cannot see a thing."

"You're not supposed to see because you should be sleeping."

"Did you always sleep when you first came here?"

Saradoc ignored him. It was his brother's first night in their shared room and they had been up even after their father had checked on them for the third time to tell them to go to bed. He was tired and why Merimac wasn't was a mystery to him.

"Sara?" The voice quivered just a bit and once again the bed creaked. "Are you asleep? Why did you have to blow out the candle?"

Silence, more movement in the other bed, then: "Saradoc!" There was just enough desperation in his brother's voice that Saradoc opened one eye. "What shall I do when I need light?"

"There is another candle on your nightstand," he mumbled in irritation.

"You're awake!" The obvious sigh of relief in Mac's tone could not be denied.

"Of course, I am," Saradoc grumbled. "How anybody is supposed to sleep with you in the same room is beyond me. I don't know what Ma and Da were thinking when they came up with the idea."

"I'm sorry but this really is a huge room." Mac's voice was almost apologetic but then took on a whiny note. "And the bed is huge also. I'm sure I would fit in it four times at least. And the blanket is so heavy it almost squashes me."

"I shall squash you if you don't shut up now!" Saradoc snarled into the darkness and was pleased with the silence that followed. He heard Merimac letting out a breath of frustration. The bed creaked as his brother shifted his weight once more. Saradoc nestled a little more comfortably into his pillow as well.

However, it was not long until his brother's voice entreated him once more. "Sara? What shall I do if I cannot find the matches to light my candle?"

"Merimac!" Saradoc growled the name through gritted teeth. He did get along with his brother well enough, but this certainly didn't encourage him to like him more.

"And what if I struck a light and it slips from my fingers?" Merimac swiftly went on sensing his agitation and probably believing that dwelling on a certain question would lead to more trouble than asking many.

"Then the smial will go up in flame and it will all be your fault!" Saradoc shouted and pointedly turned his back on him.

Merimac was silent just long enough for Saradoc to relax. When he spoke again his voice was uneasy. "I don't want the smial to burn down."

Saradoc sat up to glance at the opposite side of the room. He could not see his brother but sensed his eyes upon him. "Is there anything I can do to shut you up aside from shoving you out of the room and letting you sleep out there?" he called out heatedly pointing to the door.

He heard more than he saw how Merimac threw back his blanket and padded over to him. A moment later his brother was snuggled comfortably in his bed. Saradoc glowered at him. "Wasn't it enough that I gave up my room for you? Does it have to be my bed as well?!"

Merimac looked up at him and this time Saradoc could discern his face and the hopeful look in his eyes. "We can share my bed if you would like that better."

"Very funny, Mac," Saradoc told him sarcastically but Merimac didn't seem troubled in the least. He nestled into the pillow as if it were his and gave a content sigh. Saradoc watched him for a long moment pondering whether he should send him into his bed again or just leave him where he was. At length he decided on the latter, lay back down and after another moment's hesitation saw to it that Mac lay close to him. After all he was the older brother and had to look after the younger. And as he saw him now and felt the trust his brother showed him Saradoc had to smile. Merimac might be a nuisance most of the time but he could not help loving him anyhow - though he would never tell him that. At last he closed his eyes and bid his brother good night. Merimac barely managed a reply, already drifting off to sleep.

~THE END~