Is it Written in the Stars?

Brayden Connor stood in the doorway, counting out the first months payment for the piano teacher he'd just hired for his foster brother. "Caleb's a good kid," said Brayden, not looking up from the money in his hand. "You shouldn't have any trouble out of him, he doesn't like upsetting anyone, so he's not one to act out, or anything." he held out the money to the man in front of him, who looked to be around his age, or so. "Here you go, I'll show you to the piano room."

Right, thank you." Carter said, nodding as he reached a hand out to take the money. "He's your brother, right?" He asked after a pause, wanting to make sure he didn't make a mistake. The last thing he wanted was to say something that would make him look stupid while starting somewhere new.

Brayden nodded. "My parents would remind me to say he's only my foster brother, but he's been with us since he was six months old, so I consider him my brother, even though dad refuses to legally adopt him."

"Oh..." Carter said, slowly nodding. "Uh, why does he do that? ...if you don't mind me asking of course."

A soft sigh from the blond as he guided the teacher to the piano room. "Caleb will probably tell you himself anyways, but he was born HIV positive. His mother contracted the virus when she was his age, she was a rape victim. She got pregnant with him at the same time."

Carter bit his lip to stop himself saying what he'd been about to, frowning instead as he followed behind him. "I'm sorry." He said softly, hoping it didn't sound as awkward as he felt saying it, knowing he wasn't really the person to be saying it to, he just wasn't sure what else to say about it.

"My parents, they pretty much fostered Caleb to keep their name is the papers. 'Connor Oil Family Fosters Ill Infant'," Brayden remembered all too well the news article that came out just after Caleb had become a part of his family. "I don't think they've ever actually given even half a damn about him, and unfortunately, he doesn't think so either. My boyfriend, and I have pretty much taken care of him our whole lives, other than the countless nannies and private physicians that my parents hired to look after him, keep him out of their hair."

Carter nodded. "I remember hearing about that actually, I think. That's not very fair on him though that they'd be like that." He said, sighing. "At least someone's looking after him though."

Brayden nodded, he could already hear his brother playing from a few feet away.

"I see the road, but where will it--" Clank "Dammit! I see the ro--" Clank.

"I take it that's your brother?" Carter said when he heard the sound, smiling a little when he did.

Brayden nodded. "That's him."

"Has he taken any lessons before?" Carter asked.

Brayden shook his head. "He's taught himself mostly. Caleb wants to be a composer. The next Jonathan Larson, is how he puts it, and he is very, very good at writing music, but because he struggles to play it, he doesn't really know how it sounds, or where he needs to make changes, unless I play the piece for him."

Carter nodded to show he understood. "So that's why I'm here?" He guessed.

The blonde nodded. "That would be why you're here."

"Alright, I suppose I should get started then?" Carter said.

"Go right ahead," smiled Brayden. "Caleb has a med break in twenty minutes, so I'll check in on things then."

"Oh, alright." Carter said, nodding.

Brayden left the teacher standing in front of the piano room, to go back to his private home office.

Carter turned and watched him go before turning back to knock on the door.

"S'open!" called the dark haired boy at the piano bench.

Carter opened the door after hearing the voice, smiling at the boy before speaking. "Hey there. You're Caleb, right?"

The boy on the piano bench nodded, and for the first time, didn't immediately correct someone calling him Caleb, rather than Ash. "Yeah."

"So, are you looking forward to your lessons?" Carter asked curiously.

"Music is really the only thing that I have that is mine," said Caleb. "I want to be good at it, like, really good."