"Oh look! Look!" Vaughan pulled away from where he had been marking down some ideas on where each boy should be with their English studies- he hoped beyond anything he wasn't too off the mark- and looked up to where Elliot was bouncing at him waving a marked paper in his face. 

He had been tucked away in a corner chair near a small open window while Mrs. Lorral met his eyes over the younger boys head, brows furrowed and mouth pursed.

She had been rather against Vaughan joining the classroom, but Elliot had been adamant. In the end, Vaughan had attempted to smooth over the rising argument with a diplomatic solution of he would be a silent observer, taking notes of how she taught so he could begin lessons with the boys all the better.

Clearly, she had not been pleased at the arrangement, but already late for that days lecture due to Elliots fit, she had been eager to begin, and had grudgingly pointed him to the opposite side of the room before promptly ignoring him.

But now, her dark eyes shined at him dangerously as she locked them over Elliot's bouncing head and Vaughan felt partially at fault for the misbehavior.

"Elliot, if you do not behave, I cannot stay," he said, a bit quietly as if hoping it wouldn't bring more ire to the steel eyed woman. If anything, his subdued disposition just increased her sharpness, and he bit his inner cheek out of annoyance.

"Don't put it past me not to inform you mother and uncle of your behavior Young master," the middle-aged woman said firmly, and Elliot deflated.

The boys' eyes met his and Vaughan nodded over to where his brother had joined Mrs. Lorral's glare.

"I apologize Mrs. Lorral," and the boy did sound quite sincere as he shuffled back over," I just wanted to tell Uncle Vaughan that I got almost all my times tables right. Cuz I had been really having trouble."

The sharp look softened a fraction and the woman sighed, running a hand through her chin length red hair," Be that as it may, I only just handed your tests back and have not been able to go over the incorrect problems, and what we need to review! You can share your improvement later, preferably with your mom and uncles too."

While the instructor said this, Keaton looked as if he had swallowed a lemon and hissed out to his brother," What do you mean UNCLE Vaughan? He's not our uncle! He's a last-minute babysitter that is only here because he doesn't want to lose his job at grandfather's company!"

Mrs. Lorral sputtered at the rude accusation, though not far off the mark truly, while Vaughan blinked rapidly to the older of the two boys, but the only one to rebuttal was Elliot.

"He is uncle because he's nice and I like him, and he is here to live with us cuz he is good and wants to help and isn't a bad guy and doesn't care about money! "The boy was quick to work up with tears and red cheeks. Vaughan's cheeks heated up despite himself, the boy also was a rash, and incorrect, judge of character," He doesn't like to be called Mr or anything like that, he said so! So he's uncle cuz 'I' say so!"

Keaton met Elliot's fierce glare, and despite the differences from the color of their skin and hair, to their stature and demeanor, this was the first time Vaughan properly could see the relation at the fire in their mirrored expressions.

After a moment Keaton turned his head with a huff.

"Whatever," he muttered resting a cheek on a palm, turning his scowl to his work sheet to tap his pencil on the desk," Just behave. You'll make mom sicker if you don't. Mr. McClellan can do whatever he wants, I don't care."

Vaughan fought the twitch in his eyes, and the tightening grip on his pen.

'Why that little,' he didn't allow himself to finish the thought trying to recall himself at that age.

Had he been so disagreeable ever? 

He only recalled such behavoir while away at boarding school, but that hadn't been his fault, it had been because of all the rowdy boys that tended to pick on him, if he recalled. He never had done anything without provocation, as this young man seemed more than willing to display since they first met.

Forcing himself back to his notepad he told himself.

'It is just one year. I can survive this little terror for just one year. '

He at least reasoned with himself that this would be the one and only lecture of Mrs.Lorreal's he would ever attend. It was doubtful that he would ever find himself near the classroom outside his own lecture time ever again.

'Just. One. Year.'

+++

Elliot was only momentarily upset at the fact his uncles had not returned to the estate in time for them to prepare for their football game but was easily sated. 

Much to Vaughan's torment.

"How do I keep finding myself in this situation," Vaughan wondered as he sat in the back next to Elliot who was happily chattering in between his brother and Vaughan in the back seat while Vaughan attempted to be able to keep up about the super heroes in the boys favorite television shows, after apparently doing the blasphemous act of mixing up Marvel and DC, and simultaneously sending curious glances Keaton's way, while Keaton himself sat silent with folded arms, watching the passing traffic and city.

"I believe you have lost our wonderful writer once again in your various show topics," commented an amused Arjun from the front. 

When Vaughan originally discovered the elder was to be chaperoning the boys to their game, in a last minute replacement for their mother, Vaughan had only momentarily been elated at the idea he could have escaped.

It ended up Arjun was not at all helpful, in fact he even encouraged little Elliot and Keaton to encourage the writer along.

He wondered if a part of the family's goal was to torment him as much as possible. There seemed to be no sympathy from the elder to him.

"Never know," the other was grinning, a sharpness in his eye that seemed to be a family trait, and the smile was becoming a familiar warning," maybe you can get some inspiration being in a different atmosphere."

30 minutes into the game, and Vaughan was most assuredly not inspired, instead overwhelmed, and finding that between the loudness of the crowd- was it normal for parents to shout so at a simple children's game?- and the bumping bodies of strangers, he was ready to head back, roll into bed, and be done with it all.

Not to mention, it hadn't been very long prior that Arjun had bid him a brief farewell in favor of speaking with the team captain or leader or coach or whatever-Vaughan could not bring himself to care as for the loss of the one person he knew who gave small polite conversation was gone, made him feel as if he was lost at sea and his buoy had decided to leave him stranded.

There was a point where the teams where looking to break, and Vaughan should have shown no surprise when young Elliot rushed over to him, messy with grass stains on his uniform.

"Did you see me Uncle Vaughan!" he jumped into the elders lap excitement uncontained," Did you see the goal I did!"

Vaughan for his part was rather proud he held in the snap he had wanted to give at the unwanted hug and carefully dislodged the boy, taking a breath and tried to force a smile to his face.

He was aware that he probably looked more constipated than pleased, but Elliot didn't seem to mind, care or notice.

"Very. . . nice. "

"It as more than nice!" the boy frowned shaking his head," didn't you see? I slid it right past the goalie!"

"Um, er, well yes. I mean, I am very impressed," at the boy's very unimpressed look he shrugged," I'm sorry Elliot. I find myself having trouble understanding it all, after all I have never seen a game before."

The frown left and the boys eyes brightened," Oh! Oh, I could tell you all about the rules and stuff and you can come to all the games, and you can practice with us if you want!"

Too many words were coming out of the boy's mouth, the sun was very hot overhead, the crowd, even though no longer shouting, was still too loud.

Vaughan forced himself to breath.

"El," a deep voice resonated from behind Vaughan, and he found himself coming down to earth all too fast as he turned to see both Myles and Kabir behind them, the crowed having backed away giving them a wide birth. 

They were dressed formally, Myles in the same suit Vaughan had seen him in at breakfast and Kabir in a dark blue suit with white accents.

The family crest was on his breast pocket and cufflinks and Vaughan remembered the group at Bilblio the day he had signed the contract.

"Uncle Myles! Uncle Kabir!" The boy was full of boundless energy and launched himself to Myles who was closest, and for a moment Vaughan wondered if the man would become grumpy that the white suit surely would stain from the grass and soil on the boys' shoes.

"Did you see my goal? Did you?" the boy pressed and the solid planes of the mans face broke into a smile.

It did a shocking transformation that tugged at Vaughan's attention, and made him momentarily forget his splintered nerves.

"I did. Very well done! Just past the goalie, like we practiced."

"I thought you wouldn't make it," it was Keaton, who had his and Elliots water bottles in hand and was walking up to his family, a lightness to his face and a shine in his eyes Vaughan hadn't seen on the boy before while looking up to his uncles.

"We never miss a game," gruffed Kabir, lifting the boy up with one arm despite the fact the gangly child was starting to grow in size and was getting to the point lifting him would be difficult. Kabir made it seem as if he were plucking a flower from a basket," you know that you bean pole."

"I am not a bean pole!" a sharp laugh left the boy, the first Vaughan ever heard from him as hugged his uncle.

"They saw my goal Kee!" Elliot gleamed and his brother smiled to him, lightly punching him on the shoulder as his uncle set him down.

"Course they did! That was so awesome! Like- I donno- the Flash the way you took that pass from Grayson and went halfway cross through their defense!"

"I know right!" enthused the younger one," And Uncle Vaughan doesn't even understand what happened! He has never been to the game or played or anything! I told him he has to practice with us!"

All eyes turned to Vaughan, and he wished that he could have continued his part of observer as he shrunk back, face heating up. He pulled his shirt sleeve and dropped his gaze to the grass that was being kicked up from the boys' shoes and decided to focus on the wayward blades.

"Um, right. Well never had any reason you know," he wasn't sure what he was supposed to offer as explanation and hoped that did little.

"Of course, Mr. Vaughan hasn't seen a game," Keaton gave a roll of his eyes, face set in deep annoyance," just 'look' at him."

His face heated further as he bit his tongue at the insult.

Why was it, not but a day into his contract, this.. . this boy seemed to want to test every thread of control and patience he had?!?

He took a deep breath in, brows knitting as he made to defend his. . .softer build.

"You will not be speaking to him so disrespectfully Keaton Arya," Vaughan's eyes shot up to Myles whose arms where crossed, brows v'ed down as his mouth was in reprimand.

Keaton flinched, gaped at his uncle, shut his mouth and withdrew, fists balling up at his sides.

"You should apologize. I do not appreciate the attitude that you have been adopting lately," his uncle continued.

There was a distant call for players to return to groups. Keaton, without even glancing Vaughan , spun on his heel ignoring his uncle's warning and dashed off to the group.

"I don't know what's wrong with Kee," frowned Elliot who jumped onto Vaughan again, and didn't let go promptly this time.

Before Vaughan could complain he squeezed while saying," Don't worry! I like you like his! You're a lot more cuddly than my other uncles! You give the best hugs!"

Torn between being insulted and amused, Vaughan felt a squeeze in his heart, and suddenly the little squeezing arms around him where not quite so annoying.

Slipping his own around the boy he gave a small squeeze of his own before pulling back.

"Why thank you, I think, Elliot," he felt an unwilling lift in his lips as the boy pulled away grinning.

"Now, watch me get another goal and Uncles can tell you all about it!"

He dashed off before Vaughan could comment.

"I apologize," Myles intoned coming to stand next to Vaughan, which meant that Vaughan suddenly was shaded from the sun.

What did this man eat, he wondered, buildings for breakfast?

Though, he wouldn't complain about the break in sun, despite his love of sun bathing it was quite the hot day.

"I," he found himself saying up to the sun haloed head, noticing the hair that had been up in a tight bun that morning was down, only half pulled back and the sun danced along the stray strands," Thank you. I guess maybe Keaton isn't quite fond of me. . . it is all right. Surely a phase, hopefully it will pass."

"I would say it is not 'all right'," corrected the taller man as Kabir came to stand next to him," it is rude and not at all worthy of an Arya. I shall speak with him later, privately, and he shall come to apologize."

Vaughan felt the urge to reject the apology, saying it was fine, but also understood that, in the place of their sick mother and deceased father, Myles must be doing all he must to try and direct the boys in life.

He understood that struggle. It was no small feat.

"Just," he inwardly was surprised at himself for pushing," don't be too hard on the lad."

He is going through so much, went unspoken.

Myles looked at him for a long moment before turning his gaze to the beginning of the game and said nothing more.