Cold air spread throughout the surrounding atmostphere. Night was falling. Children were tucked up in bed, adults sat inside - grumbling to themselves about the bitter weather.
Mear watched lives unfold from his balcony. His soft, green eyes slowly wandering as he gazed at different houses, streets, people. So engrossed was he in his intrest, he could not feel the cold as it tore at his body. Leaning on the blacony, arms folded, he barely blinked. He loved this distraction, a personal escape. From what - he didn't know. The tranquilty soothed him, and time slipped by.
A fierce knock sounding from behind him, jolted him back into the ordinary. Turning, another face greeted him. A tired, and very disgruntled face. The glass blocked all sound, but it was obvious from the expressions and swift movements that she was not happy. Mear smiled at his sister, but walked back towards the glass doors. He thought it best not to annoy her even more.
He slid the door open and took a step inside. "Close that quick!"  his sister's voice burst out. The tiredness drained the usual pretty, bubbly nature she usually bore. Mear quickly came inside and pushed the door back in place, flicking the lock into place as he did so.
"WHAT were you doing?" his sister asked, the volume of her voice somewhat higher than normal.
"Watching...and thinking..." Mear replied - bluntly, but calmly.
"Mear, it's 3am. It's freezing outside, but look at you..."
She gestured towards him, pointing out his clothing. A simple black T-shirt, and his favourite pair of jeans. It was then that Mear realised how cold he was, and broke out into shivers.
"Sorry Aria.." he said, rubbing his arms in an attempt to warm himself up. Aria let out an angry sigh, and grabbed her brother's arm. She pulled him into another room. The front room of their apartment. She pushed him into a chair next to the electric fire, and turned it up. She then sat opposite him, in a somewhat larger and comfier looking chair. She crossed her legs, and gave Mear a judging look. He ignored this, and turned to the fire. He didn't like this one, he preffered open fires. Ones where you could actually see the flames.
"Mear, talk to me."
He turned again, and saw that his sister's expression had changed. Although she was tired, she looked worried. He saw this look far too often. It annoyed him sometimes, but was thankful for it in a sense.
"What about..?"
"Whats wrong."
"There's nothing wrong" he said, his eyebrow raising.
"Don't even try lying to me, I know you too well."
He hated that too. His sister had practically raised him, and as conseequence, their relationship was strong on a level beyond simply being siblings. But it still annoyed him that it was almost as if she lived in his head, and knew when even the most minute thing affected him.
"I couldn't sleep."
"No change there..." she replied, oozing sarcasm.
He stood up, a little frustrated. "I'm going to bed."
Aria jumped up, and grabbed him again. "No you're not, especially not after waking me up." She smiled, her usual full, cheeky smile. Mear was determined not to let her break him, and tugged, trying to pull his arm free. Embarassingly, his sister was strong than him. She pulled back, and pushed him over onto the couch. Before he could react, she sat on him. "Get OFF" he protested. She of course, ignored him.
Grinning, she started tickling him, relishing the playful torment she was inducing. He pushed, fighting to hold back the laughter trying to burst from him. He failed however, and succumbed to simply laughing and cringing as she attacked him.
She stopped eventually, and both simply could not withold their smiles. She slid off into the seat next to him, and put an arm around him. "Sure you're ok hun?"
Mear smiled, it was only this caring attitude, and how it was displayed that showed any proof that his sister was older than him. That and her obvious, rather annoying, strength. He, being 18, did not enjoy the fact that his older sister could overpower him, and it was never mentioned outside their little apartment. She was only 19 herself, but she had always been stronger than him.
"Yeah. Just a bit nervous about tomorrow..."
"The gig?"
Mear pondered on that for a second. His band was to play at a small pub a few streets away. He needed sleep if he was to play tomorrow, especially if he had to sing too.
"Well, that too. But the party after."
"Oh?"
"Just Kray and Vortis, usually silly banter."
"You don't NEED a girlfriend Mear."
"I know."
"I'm the only girl in your life," she said, grinning "and no one's taking you away from me!" She ruffled his hair, but then stopped. "You really need to sort this mess out." She pulled at the tangled, dark mess atop his head.
"Gee thanks."
Fiddling with his hair, she muttered to herself, mentioning random hair products he should use. She stopped when he pushed her arm away. She looked disappointed.
"I'm only trying to help you look pretty!"
"Work on yourself first" Mear retorted.
Aria gasped, "you little!"
Mear turned and scrambled for his room, reaching it just before Aria could get a hold of him. He closed the door, and stood behind it, holding it shut. He heard his sister stop just outside.
"I'll get you later, you scruffy git."
"Love you too."
"As you should."
"Night Aria."
"Night moron."
Mear smiled. He realised how heavy his eyes were. Wandering over to his bed, he pulled off his shirt. He tossed it into a corner of the room. Sitting down oh his bed, he looked down at his arms. He was quite thin, probably too much so for "a growing lad" as his friends would say. But there were small scars scattered all over both arms, from his wrists to his elbows. He ran a finger over one of them slowly, contemplating the injury he muttered "...stupid..." and lay down on his bed, covering himself quickly with the duvet. Closing his eyes, he sighed, clearing himself of thought and allowing himself to drift into sleep.