Royal Pains Fic: All That You Want

[synnerxx]

Pairing: Hank/Evan
Fandom: Royal Pains
Theme Set: A: Seven Deadly Sins
Specific sin/virtue: Gluttony
Rating: G
Warnings: None
Spoilers: Some for the pilot.
Summary: If anything, he's a glutton for Hank now.

 
Evan had always needed Hank. Always would too. Hank was there to fix whatever Evan had managed to screw up and everyone thought he was the hero. Evan never got the chance to prove to them that they were wrong about him when they were kids. Everyone was too busy with Hank and talking about his accomplishments. No one bothered with Evan because Hank had already been there, done that, and had done it better, of course.

So Evan became the bad kid. He acted out at home and school, constantly getting in trouble no matter how much Hank tried to get him out of it. He resented the fact that Hank was still trying to play the role of the good big brother because it only made their parents fawn over him more and frown at Evan more.

“Why are you such a glutton for punishment?” Hank asked as they walked home from school. Usually Evan avoided Hank like the plague at school, preferring the company of the his friends, if he even bothered to show up. Most of the time he had better things to do. Today, however, he had gotten stuck walking with Hank because Chris, who Evan usually rode with to and from school, wasn't here and Evan didn't feel like going to the mall with the others.

“What?” Evan asked, not really paying attention to Hank.

“Why are you a glutton for punishment?” Hank repeated, glancing over at him.

“Well, you've already got the Mr. Perfect act down, so I had to do something else.” Evan quipped, smirk playing on his lips.

“What's that supposed to mean?” Hank snapped, casting a glare at Evan.

“Means you are the one they love, Hank, you're their star, so they don't need me to be one too because you've done it all better than I could in their minds before I've even had the chance to do it.” Evan explained, rolling his eyes.

“Evan, you know that's not true. They love you too.” Hank said, shocked.

“Not as much as they do you and we all know it. Don't worry about it. Just keep on being their golden boy, okay?” Evan said, eyes flicking to Hank for a second.

“Evan, can we please talk about this?” Hank reached out to grab his arm, but Evan dodged.

“Later, maybe. I got things to do.” Evan walked on past their house leaving Hank staring at his back, fighting the urge to chase him down and try to get him to see things differently. Instead, he walked in the front door where his mother greeted him with a hug and a kiss to the forehead.

“Where's your brother?” She asked, noticing Evan's absence.

“He said he had things to do.” Hank said, toeing off his shoes and putting them in the front closet.

“Hmm, well, run along and do your homework. Your father will be home in a few hours and I'm going to start dinner later, okay?” She nudged him to the staircase, smiling.

“Yes ma'am.” Hank said, walking slowly towards his bedroom, glancing across the hall at the closed door of Evan's.

He sighed and began taking out all the books he would need from his backpack and stacked them up on his desk. He pulled out a notebook and sat down in the chair, flipping to a clean page. He sat, staring at the blank page before him. Another sigh and he was opening his Algebra book and copying down the problems. He had been working for about an hour when he heard the front door slam open and knew that Evan was home.

He heard his mother call out to Evan as he stomped up the stairs and the door to Evan's room slam shut. His way of replying. Hank shook his head and went back to working. About thirty minutes later, he could smell dinner being cooked and heard the front door open again, a lot more gently this time. His father was home.

“Boys! Dinner's ready!” Julia called up the stairs. Hank closed his book and headed out the door and down the stairs, Evan behind him.

“Hi dad.” Hank greeted his father, while Evan merely shot a disinterested look at him.

“Hello Hank.” Mark said, glaring at Evan.

“Evan, aren't you going to say hello to your father?” Julia asked, placing the baked chicken on the table.

“Nope.” Evan said, leaning back in his chair.

“Evan, don't be so rude.” Julia scolded, placing corn and mashed potatoes alongside the chicken.

“How was school, boys?” Mark asked as he served up the chicken to them.

“Fine. We had a sub in Biology.” Hank said, scooping up some corn.

“That's good. Evan, how was your day?” Mark turned his attention to his youngest son.

Evan looked up and sneered, “Sucky as usual.”

“Evan, don't use that kind of language at the dinner table.” Julia reprimanded.

Evan stayed silent, but nodded. Hank saw the quick flash of anger in his eyes before it was gone, hidden behind his mask.

They carried on with the conversation, catching each other up on what they've been doing and how their day has been. Evan stayed silent throughout the meal, picking at his food, not really eating it.

Hank and Evan clear the table after supper is over and clean the kitchen. “Can we finish talking?” Hank asked, putting the final plate in the cupboard.

“About what?” Evan handed him a cup.

“What we were talking about on the way home.” Hank puts the cup away.

“No.” Evan's answer is sharp.

“Why not?” Hank turned to face his brother who is scrubbing viciously at a pan.

“Because I don't want too.” Evan snapped.

“Evan, please. Why can't we talk? We used to always be able to talk and now we're drifting away. I miss us being close.” Hank knew he was taking a risk with telling Evan how much he missed his little brother because Evan wasn't the easiest person to talk to, but he had to try and hope that Evan wouldn't slice him to ribbons verbally with his razor blade tongue.

Evan didn't speak for a long moment. When he did, he said, “I know. I do too.” He didn't look at Hank, just continued washing the dishes.

Hank smiled softly. “So, can we talk?”

“After dishes.” Evan said.

Hank nodded and went back to drying them.

Ten minutes later, they were in Evan's room. Evan was sprawled lazily on his bed, while Hank was seated in the desk chair.

“So talk.” Evan said after a few minutes of silence.

“Will you tell me about what you meant earlier? About why you've changed so much?” Hank leaned forward.

Evan smirked at him. “Like I said, the shining star position had already been filled by you.”

Hank frowned, feeling his patience grow thin as they often did these days with Evan. He still remembered the days when he and Evan used to talk and have a close bond. They had always been close, only being a few years apart in age. He wanted the bond back. Wanted his little brother back. Wanted his friend back.

“Cut the crap, Evan.” Hank said, impatience clear in his tone.

Evan frowned for a moment, then sighed, rubbing at his face tiredly. “I just feel that our parents think I'm the biggest screw up to walk the planet, while you can do no wrong. They wouldn't pay any attention to me if it weren't for all the trouble I cause.” A grin was flashed briefly at Hank. “So I do what I have to, because I don't want to live in your shadow, Hank. I want to be me, not you. Our parents don't see that though. They want me to be another you. I always get the disappointment and the 'Why can't you be more like Hank?' speech from mom, and the anger from dad. So what am I supposed to do?” Evan shrugged, not meeting Hank's eye after spilling so much of himself.

Hank sat in stunned silence, shocked that Evan felt this way. Yeah, he knew their parents had been less than impressed with Evan's behavior as of late, but he hadn't known to what extent they were willing to go to make sure Evan suffered for it. And for having Hank as a brother it seemed. He was also surprised that Evan had opened up to him, let him see how vulnerable he was.

“Evan, I'm so sorry. I had no idea.” Hank got up and wrapped his arms around his younger brother.

Evan stiffened, then allowed Hank to hug him, his own arms coming up and gripping Hank like a lifeline.

“It'll be okay, Ev. The closer we stick to each other, the better, okay?” Hank whispered into his hair.

Evan nodded, then took a shuddering breath. “Promise?”

Hank smiled down at him. “I promise.”

*~*

The brothers are grown now. Evan is still a smart ass and a trouble maker, but not as bad as he once was. Hank still cleans up after him occasionally, but all through the years, they have stuck together just like Hank promised. Just like when Evan had taken him away from his sorrow over losing Nikki, sure Hank had fought him at first, but he had convinced his brother it would be worth it and it had been. Look at all they have accomplished with HankMed. Hank isn't stupid. He knows he owes it all Evan. He knows that if it hadn't been for Evan that he would still be moping around his apartment, watching the bills stack up. He's glad Evan dragged him away and gave him a second chance at being a doctor. He's glad to say they're also closer than ever for it.

Evan isn't a glutton for punishment anymore.

If anything, he's a glutton for Hank now.