[CW: Graphic content; dead animal.]

Darius could see the good and bad with art. The good was he was very pleased with the picture he had in his hands now, the bad was the dead badger that had been caught during a hunt. It was much easier to draw them dead and posed, but he had tried to be quick so it wouldn't decay before his eyes. He know had to figure out what to do with the poor thing, and he had the problem of being covered in soot from the charcoal. 

He started to walk back home, supplies in one hand, the dead creature hanging from his other hand. He then noticed his brother and smiled walking over to him. He waved his hand slightly though it was difficult with his supplies in it. The other would be more than happy to help, he was certain so he made a beeline in his direction. 

"I was wondering if you would assist me with a quandary. But first, would you like to see my wonderful drawing?" He held up the page to show him hoping his younger brother would compliment his hard work.

He was back home on break, and he still was not certain how he felt about that. Robert was still Robert-ing everything up with his need to have everything done yesterday, and Roger was still letting Rodercik copy his notes. But, they had gone three different paths. Three different paths that demanded some thought toward ‘what next’.

Thus far, his answer was ‘later’.

Trust Darius to drag him into the here and now. At first he straightened up his slouching posture and looked up to meet him in the eye, ignoring the crick in his neck. Then he... smelled something. Something wrong.

“I think Mother wanted me to – uh, uhh,” his gaze dropped down when directed to the drawing, only to see the quarry in its full gory. Er, glory.

He wished he were surprised.

“A little heavy on the red.”

Darius looked at his brother in disappointment that he didn't seem to approve and looked back at the drawing with mild confusion. "But... it's charcoal."

He decided not to question it any longer as he returned his focus onto Roderick. "I have a question. I got this from some hunters so that I could draw it but now that I'm done I'm not sure what to do with it. Seems shameful to just toss it away. It was a leaving thing once. Should I bury it or give it to someone who might want it?" 

He held up the body towards his face and shook it a bit, making sure his brother had a good look at it.

There was a palpable pause until his eyes finally ripped themselves away from the poor badger, and onto the actual picture.

“Oh!” he breathed out wanely with a trembling smile. “Very – hrnkrkAAAH”

Roderick frantically scrambled back when Darius shook the carcass at him, landing on his arse and scraping up his nice pants. He rolled on his knees, puked violently, then gave a thumbs-up to his brother, eyes watering.

Darius looked shocked and cradled the dead beast to his chest like a child. "You are going to hurt his feelings. He can't help the hunter got to him. Thanks to me, he will live forever on a piece of parchment. " He tucked the paper under an arm and held the dead creature by its head, cradling the creature's cheeks in both hands to hold it close to his face and look into its eyes. "He did not mean to insult you. I think dying has made things hard enough on you."

That seemed to be the answer he needed as he dropped the creature down like a well loved toy, holding it by just an arm and letting it hang at his side. "You know that is the answer. I think I'll bury him. Have a small funeral. Will you come? Maybe you could say something."

Should he be concerned? There was privilege in being a middle child – and a middle child in the midst of triplets, no less! Decision-making had never been his strong point, and so he quietly assigned Darius’ current state of mind as Someone Else’s Problem.

Roderick dry-heaved and tried to smile when Darius noticed him again, nodding along with him.

“I-uh, I have never been a man of many words!”

Bullshit. He was always talking the neighbor girl’s ear off.

Darius smiled brightly. "Don't be humble. You are eloquent and will do a great job. I will get someone to dig us a hole and maybe find some nice flowers. I wonder if I can use an old sheet for a shroud. My art muse deserves the full treatment." He patted the dead thing on the head and started to walk.

"I will find you in an hour , i hope you have it written out by then!" He said cheerfully and let him know with a look that he wouldn't be forgiving if his younger brother tried to get out of it.

Roderick smiled as reassuringly as a puke-breathed, sick-faced man could and started to nod. Unfortunately, that small motion caused the remaining contents of his stomach to roil and he stopped mid jerk-of-the-neck.

As soon as the contents of his stomach settled, he went to hunt down one of the other triplets...

Darius looked fairly pleased and ignored his heaving. He turned away and whistled as he walked, before he found a good spot for the creature placed it down to mark it. "I'm sure nothing will happen to you."

He started into the house to find someone to assist him with the funeral plans. His first plan was going through an old trunk where he found a baby dress that belonged to Olivia. "This will cover it well." He then started to wander the property hoping to find someone.

Unaware of the funniness of events happening to his older triplet, Roger was doing what he did best: absolutely nothing. He rested lazily over one of the families couches, book in hand, not that he was reading it, no, it was simply an excuse to cover up the fact he was napping.