"I'll ask her permission for you to stay in and play." He choked a bit on the last words, but said it quickly enough that his brain didn't catch up in time to stop but entirely. It seemed to amuse Eitan when Stefan's own playful teasing embarrassed himself more than anyone.
"It isn't a lie. We are hunting." The idea caused Stefan's instincts to awaken from their long dormant state and his smile adopted a note of ferality.
Giving the question consideration Stefan took a moment before answering.
"I think you should, perhaps bring it up casually that you're considering her as a match and then lead him into the idea as time passes. I assume you won't have a whirlwind wedding as I did, so there is time. I think," He swallowed so he could continue without undue emotion in his voice, "I think my springing it on him upset him. Made him feel like he wasn't important, perhaps. It was the last thing I wanted to do and I bollocksed it up badly. Everything happened so quickly, with the Expedition rushing up I felt I hate to, but he should have been the first person to know, even before I asked her."
He shrugged the shoulder not carrying the warm weight of Eitan's hand. "Hopefully he'll forgive me sooner rather than later. I would deserve it if he decided to make me wait, but I don't handle it particularly well."
Brenner knew that Stefan didn't bear up under guilt well, and if he was choosing to use that then it stood to reason his elder brother deserved it. The thought that Brenner might be jealous, or feel as though he was being out done didn't occur to Stefan. That Brenner might remain a perpetual bachelor wasn't outside the realms of possibility, or, at least, that he might refrain from martimoney until he was established enough in his career not to be away so often.
Shaking his head he said,
"Come, let me hug you before your new toy tells us both it's midnight and I've missed my chance. Then I really should be in my bed, we both should. The morning won't wait for us and it'd be just my luck to miss something dangerous and get myself killed because I didn't rest." He was jesting, a little, keeping it light, but there was a lot inside the words beyond their simple meaning.
"It isn't a lie. We are hunting." The idea caused Stefan's instincts to awaken from their long dormant state and his smile adopted a note of ferality.
Giving the question consideration Stefan took a moment before answering.
"I think you should, perhaps bring it up casually that you're considering her as a match and then lead him into the idea as time passes. I assume you won't have a whirlwind wedding as I did, so there is time. I think," He swallowed so he could continue without undue emotion in his voice, "I think my springing it on him upset him. Made him feel like he wasn't important, perhaps. It was the last thing I wanted to do and I bollocksed it up badly. Everything happened so quickly, with the Expedition rushing up I felt I hate to, but he should have been the first person to know, even before I asked her."
He shrugged the shoulder not carrying the warm weight of Eitan's hand. "Hopefully he'll forgive me sooner rather than later. I would deserve it if he decided to make me wait, but I don't handle it particularly well."
Brenner knew that Stefan didn't bear up under guilt well, and if he was choosing to use that then it stood to reason his elder brother deserved it. The thought that Brenner might be jealous, or feel as though he was being out done didn't occur to Stefan. That Brenner might remain a perpetual bachelor wasn't outside the realms of possibility, or, at least, that he might refrain from martimoney until he was established enough in his career not to be away so often.
Shaking his head he said,
"Come, let me hug you before your new toy tells us both it's midnight and I've missed my chance. Then I really should be in my bed, we both should. The morning won't wait for us and it'd be just my luck to miss something dangerous and get myself killed because I didn't rest." He was jesting, a little, keeping it light, but there was a lot inside the words beyond their simple meaning.
