Brothers by Luvscharlie

"Uncle Giddy-john?"

Gideon Prewett squatted down where Charlie and Bill were leaned over the pram and staring at the family's newest addition. "What's on your mind there, squirt?" he asked ruffling Charlie's hair.

"Is this the bestest one Mummy could get at market?" Charlie asked, staring in at his new baby brother and wrinkling his nose.

"She didn't get him at the market, dunderhead," Bill said. "What do you think she's had in her tummy all this time?"

Stupid know-it-all, Bill! Charlie showed his disapproval by sticking out his tongue. "But Uncle Giddy-john, if this," and Charlie snarled his nose at the baby once more, "was in Mummy's tummy, how did it—"

Gideon cut him off. "Whoa! I think this was the only one the market had, Charlie. You don't want to leave him there without a family, do you?"

Charlie stuck his tongue out at Bill again.

"You don't want your face to freeze like that, do ya?" asked Marlene McKinnon, his Uncle Gideon's girlfriend. Charlie liked Marlene. She was pretty and she smelled good and, best of all, she gave Bill mean looks for teasing him so much. Right now, she was giving Uncle Gideon a look Charlie had only seen his Mum use. Uncle Gideon didn't seem to know this look, cause he wouldn't be smiling if it meant the same thing when Marlene did it as when Mum did.

"Market? Honestly, Gideon!"

"I volunteered to babysit, so Molly could rest upstairs. I did not sign on for any talks like that," Gideon said holding up his hands.

"Oh, just look at him," Marlene cooed, looking into the pram. The look had passed, Marlene's attention diverted by the new baby, and Charlie was glad to know that Uncle Gideon wasn't going to be in too much trouble. She picked up baby Percy and cuddled him against her as Gideon put an arm around her waist. "I came as soon as I got your owl that Molly was home." Uncle Gideon was giving her that dopey look that was a sure sign things were about to get mushy, so Charlie made a fast break for the door and the apple tree by the pond.

Charlie stayed in his tree for most of the day and only climbed down when he heard Marlene calling for him out in the back garden. He came in to find his father sitting down to dinner, along with Bill and his mum's twin brothers.

Marlene ruffled his hair when he came through the door and sent him upstairs to wash up before dinner. He lingered outside his mum and dad's bedroom door and pushed it open just a crack. His mum was holding Percy on the bed and looked up when the door creaked and gave him away.

"Charlie, come on in," Mum said, smiling. He stood back from her bed and made a great show of scuffing his toes on the carpet, unsure that he should climb up on the bed with his new baby brother up there already. But Molly patted the spot beside her and Charlie climbed up and scooted in close. She held the baby down and let Charlie see the sleeping baby whose mouth turned up in a sort of smile.

"He's smiling at you, Charlie."

"He is? Weally?" Charlie whispered, careful not to be too loud.

"Of course, you're his big brother."

Charlie decided he liked this little person. It was hard not to when he smiled like that, even if he was sleeping when he did it.

"Mum?" Charlie said.

"What dear?" Molly asked, wrapping her arm around him.

"Next time you go to market, can you take Bill back and get another one of these? I fink I like him better."

Molly's laughter woke the sleeping baby. "Oh, Charlie."

~Fin.~

A/N: Advent Drabble 12/31 with the prompt of Brothers' banter.