Half a Kanu

[Grae Kanu]

It had been a fairly interesting few days for the durmstrang boy. He was beginning to get the impression that people were staring at him more. As if suddenly there was a reason for looking at him. As if, finally they were taking notice of the Keeper that kept to himself and just stayed completely in the shadows. He stayed well away from all others and they tended to keep well away from them. The Durmstrang boy felt no shame in his upbringing or home life, he just hated talking about it, and it was for that reason why he'd long stopped even bothering with people around him. They held not interest for him, and Grae was sure, they cared very little for someone like him. He didn't want know about him, and yet, he could always feel eyes upon him like the entire school were vultures and he was a dying creature. They were waiting until he passed on before picking away at what was left of him. But, it wasn't like he could do much else about it. They were staring at him, and he didn't know why. This had put him in a fairly awkward position, he just kept his eyes down and just kept walking. Not really taking in what was going on around him. However with no friends, it was difficult to get really to the bottom of this problem. If it was even a real problem, or just one that had been made up. One that was a figment of his imagination. He knew it could well be that. Since, he knew that over the past few days he'd been sleeping a lot less, and studying a lot more. It was coming up for his exams, and unlike most in his year, Grae felt the deep need to do very well in the exams that were coming up. He knew that they would be his portal into a different life. He didn't hate the one he had, it was just going to be a lot easier if he was able to sleep safely, knowing he'd always be able to put food on the table. Even if a desk job was not what Grae really wanted to do. Grae had been studying and playing quidditch, and taking up almost every hour of his day, and this had meant less time for the durmstrang boy to actually sleep. He was trying put on this oddness on that, but even Grae knew it was a lot more different that just that. He'd been stressed and sleep deprived before, but this feeling of people looking at him, wasn't one he'd ever felt, and it just wasn't going away.

The school was fairly quiet as Grae headed back to his dorm room. He'd had a free class and was heading back to his dorm room. He wanted to get more work done, and not have to bother with the crowds of students. The Durmstrang had been in the library and was carrying books under his arm. Grae's mind however was far from the books he had. Somehow during his study time, the mind of the German boy had moved to the family of his. His father and his brother. Both of whom, he knew existed, or had existed. Grae had no idea what had happened to them, or if they were even alive. Despite his father being his grandparent's son, they could barely remember either one. The one way that Grae knew they had ever exist, was the family picture. They'd been young and similar in age. But, Grae knew so little and his mother didn't know who he was, so it would be difficult to ever say who they actually were. Now his grandparents were in there old age, Grae knew there was a lot more behind the story than they'd ever said to him. As a child, they'd never spoken of it, to shield him from some truth, they'd slightly forgotten, but it made him wonder if they were even still alive. The only parts of his family still left. His mother was family, but she was only that by blood. She wasn't really his mother. Grae looked up briefly and noticed a boy past him, who looked like someone he knew. He stopped and looked round. "Heyy!" He called to the other boy. He wasn't sure why, he'd said that. It was weird, but the boy from behind, looked distinctly like how Grae thought he looked from behind. It was weird. "Excuse me" Grae repeated a little nervously. He was slightly weirded out by all of it and he couldn't quite understand why. It was surely just his mind once more playing tricks on him, tricks that he cared little for and really wasn't in the mood for. He waited till the boy turn around before he would do anything.​

 

[Jotham Kanu]

Jotham nodded to his friends, the ones he has made so far this year on the Quidditch team atleast. He has only met a small number of students outside of the team. A girl, whom he had the most unfortunate chance of miscomunication with where he wanted to do one thing and she wanted the complete opposite thing. Since then he has shaken off the experience feeling bad but still hoping he wouldn't loose the pretty girl forever, Jotham still wanted to teach her that she could be pretty without all the fakeness that she put on everyday. And then there were the few kids he had the bad experience of coming upon as they were being picked on, of course he managed to take care of the bullies earning a few helpful mentees on the way. He really thought the kids were his mentors in learning about the school. Being there less then a year already and he has recieved a few warm welcomings but alot of odd stares, especially in classes when the Professors would call out his name.

Walking down the hall, he was headed off to the library to get in an extra study session before a big test he had tomorrow. He wasn't much of a studier till right before the test, but it worked for him which was nice enough. Suddenly there seemed to be a sort of yelling in the hall coming from behind him, everyone in front of him turned around to see what the commotion was but he tried to ignore it not wanting to be in the middle of a fight breaking out. But he was stopped when he saw a group of girls in his year glancing and pointing at him and then to another person behind him. Half turning to look behind him he glanced back in that direction before looking back at the girls. Though he had to do a double take for he almost thought he had glanced at mirror, which would be odd considering he and the mirror image were in the middle of the hall. Fully turning he looked at the scruffy guy standing not ten feet away from him, the boys hair was in a messy style and there was scruff on his face, a shabby and untidy version of himself. He was shocked into silence unable to say anything to the guy.

 

[Grae Kanu]

Seeing double was probably a good way of putting how the durmstrang boy was feeling. It had never factored into his brain that his brother would look exactly like him. it was unlikely that the guy in front of him wasn't actually related to him. Grae knew little about genes, but he figured that it had to be that. He couldn't imagine that someone else, would look exactly like him. Unless this boy was a doppelganger. But, Grae thought that those had to look slightly different. Even if it was just ever so sligthtly. He didn't know how it was possible, and yet it seemed the other boy was just as shocked. Like looking a mirror. This boy was slightly different, he was more clean shaven and looked less scruffy. He looked somewhat friendly, where Grae gave off an air that demanded him to be alone. Eventually this would fade over time, but this was different. "What the f##k" He muttered in German. Grae looked around the corridor, Surely it was not just a reflection of himself. Grae glanced at the girls behind him, and gave them a look which almost demanded that they cleared off. He didn't want to have to deal with girls as well as this boy in front of him. It wasn't easy to be faced with someone who looked exactly like him. His mind was freaking out. Who the mother f##k was this boy. This guy. He doubted that it could be his brother, would no one have thought to tell him, to approach him. Make it clear that there was someone else exactly like him wandering the halls of the school. It was a wonder that they hadn't already met. That they hadn't been forced to meet. But, most would've probably believed this guy to be him, and for to have been this guy. Probably why people had been staring at him more, and paying attention to him, when in previous years, they hadn't even cared for Grae's existence, this new interest in the boy was completely different. "Is your last name, Kanu?" If it was, Grae had found his brother. He wondered if the boy even knew that he had one. Knew of Grae's existance. And if it wasn't, then, Grae would just ask more questions, try to figure out how it was possible for the two to look so alike but have no proper relation. The durmstrang boy felt nervous. He'd wondered for so long what had happened to his family, had so questions. Why had they left him, to have to deal with everything. To have to grow up in the way that he had. Had his father cared more for his brother than him. There were so many questions going through the boys mind he hardly knew where to start if the boy was his brother. He just had to wait, see what he said.​

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[Jotham Kanu]

Jotham was unsure as to who the boy infront of him was. He carefully took a few steps closer hearing the boy mutter a curse in German, it propelled him forwards. There weren't many Germans in the school and there most certainly wasn't many germans in the school who looked like how he did on the weekends when he didn't bother to shave or care for his hair very much. Jotham was confused. He didn't know of many other males in his family besides his father then step-brother. "Yeah, I'm Kanu," he said figuring the boy had wanted to pick a fight with him. Jotham didn't actually know much about his father's first marriage to his mother. They had divorced, or so he was told, when Jotham was young prehaps around four years or so and then he and his father settles in west Germany, a nice city called Aachen. Never once did they visit his grandparents on his fathers side, and Jotham never heard anything from them and he was certain it was the same for them. The young man looked over the boy who resembled him so clearly as he thought over who he could be. A cousin prehaps? It is was strange looking at him it almost seemed like there was a half of his heart that he hadn't known was missing and suddenly it was there infront of him, as if all his life he had a twin brother and never and knew. But that was a silly thought for the young man, wasn't it?

 

[Grae Kanu]

The entire life of the boy seemed to be rushing in front of him. Almost crashing into him at such speeds that he had no idea how to react. Grae wondered if it possible. How could they have only met now. They'd be in the same year, but he had to be new. Grae was off in his own little world most of the time, but he was certain that five years would not have passed without him noticing a boy that was like his tidier other half. He closed his eyes and reopened them quickly, half expecting it to be a dream. Although relieved that it wasn't just a dream, if he was right, then he had family. He had someone. But, to Grae, he could tell, that the other one, his double, was a lot more confused than him. Had their father never mentioned it. Grae couldn't understand why. When the boy said he was a Kanu, a smile appeared on Grae's face. It was him, it was a relative. "Brother" He muttered under his breath in German. Grae wondered if the boy could speak German, he didn't know if his father had moved or not. Grae had never had any contact. As if his father had forgotten about his very existence. A smile appeared, it was so wide, that even Grae didn't know where it was coming from. he held no resentment towards his brother, and the fact he'd left with his father. How could he, they'd had no control over the actions of the people around him. Grae gave a happy sigh and then walked to the boy and embraced him in a brotherly hug. He was sure it would all be quite odd for the boy in front of him. For them both, they were related, that much was true. He pulled out the hug. "I'm a Kanu too. We're brothers, clearly twins." Grae said. He was sure it would all be very odd to him,but Grae was loving it. His family, in the flesh right in front of him, things could not get much better for him. They were beyond amazing. He would find his father, after so long. His life would not be just him taking care of their grandparents, or his mum. He could not ask the boy to help, nor could he ask his father, but at least he had somewhere to go when the inevitable happened. The durmstrang boy took a step back and held his hand out to him. "I'm Grae, Grae Kanu." He didn't know his brother's name. But he was sure this boy was it. The fact they looked identical was quite a give away. He just had to hope the other boy saw it that way too. "Our father?" Grae asked, almost asking in an indirect fashion if he was even alive. He was sure the boy would have questions about their mother, but, it would be better, Grae knew to ask about the father first. Talking about what was wrong with his mum, was something that Grae was very bad at. He didn't know how to feel about it most times, but here and now, with this boy, he knew he would have to.​

 

[Jotham Kanu]

The young man standing in front of him began to smile, widely, after he said his last name. Then Jotham's thoughts were connected and it came to be true that he did have a brother and they were in fact twins, it was clear as day. How had he gone so far into the year and never run into his brother before was a strange twist of fate. It was like how he decided Durmstrang was where he was meant to go, fate brought him here. He reached out with his arms and took ahold of his brother bringing him in for a hug. Jotham was a compassionate person he could only wonder if his brother was the same, or if he hated people. Though his early actions said his brother was like him in some way. "Jotham," he said in reply his hearing his brother's name, Grae already knew his last name there wasn't a reason in saying it again, formalites were for those not related to each other. "Very much alive, he remarried and we have other siblings. Mother, she is not well," he said looking away from Grae's face unsure if the news would be new to him or not. He hated having to bring up their mother now.

 

[Grae Kanu]

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<SIZE size="50">It was the single most surreal thing going on in the boy's life. Here in front of him, was basically his reflection, although a little tidier. It was completely odd, since he did not know if his brother was at all like him. Sure he had read about studies that said that identical twins were only different in slight ways if they had different upbringings. Which made him completely uncertain. Would his brother be willing to accept him for who he was, upon realising that Grae was not much of a social person. Grae had pushed everyone who had ever tried to get close to him out of his lilfe. He cared little for the feelings of others and did not often even talk oncce in an entire day. This was entirely through choice. He cared little for friends, since in his experience friends were dead weights that needed you to tell them all the problems in the world. Grae was not like that. He much liked being in the corner invisible and apart. Distant and not bothering. Quidditch was the only way in which he was ever a person who took part. Grae looked to the boy in front of him, Jotham. That was an odd name, he thought. Although he then remembered his own name was Grae, well he was sure that was his name. For all he knew it wasn't actually the name he was born with, but rather the name his grandparents had given him because they could not actually remember it. Grae then reminded himself of how silly that sounded, and how he had a middle name. Therefore meaning that his first name was very much right. Grae and Jotham. They sounded like names from the bible. He wondered if Jotham had at all known about his existance until that moment. If his father had at all mentioned him, or if he believed he had died, and would rather that it stay a secret. The questions going through his mind were many. He was however relieved to find out his father was still alive and doing so well. He let out a sigh of relief at the news. "He should've written." Grae muttered in German before he could stop himself. "Mum, well, it's complicated. Shortly after you and our father left, our mum, she crashed a car and suffered really bad memory loss. She's still alive, but she has no idea who I am, or who she is. She mumbles on about magic, she's not stable." Grae spoke quietly, only wanting Jotham to hear. He didn't talk about his mother, or even mention in passing that his mum, while now their mother was crazy. "I live with our dad's parents. But, they are old, so I look after them mostly." Grae shifted his eyes away from the boy in front of him. Grae had no memories of his brother, he'd only been about three when they'd gone. And no one had heard anything since. Grae wanted more than anything to ask why, he'd not been able to go with them. The way his grandparents had talked, his mother had been losing her mind before the crash. "What's dad's new wife like?" A question that Grae settled on. It seemed better, a lot less personal. And while this was his brother he did not feel like being personal just yet.​

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[Jotham Kanu]

Jotham found it hard to stare at his brother, they were very much alike yet complete opposites in the ways they kept up apperences. Grae didn't look like he shaved for days now while Jotham got up early in the morning and started the day with a nice bath and shave, also combing his hair. His brother seemed to adopted the more relaxed version of himself. He was glad to know if he ever decided to go without shaving or combing his bed head he'd still look good, though his brother did have more of a chubby face then his own. "He couldn't. He didn't know where you were," he answered back to his brother. Plus, with stepmom walking right in he was pretty busy starting a new life for them, he thought to himself. "Oh, I know about mother, I wasn't sure if you did," he said with a sigh glad he wouldn't have to explain about her condition to him though he didn't like being told how she was doing. It made him more sad about not being able to go see her every week. Relaxing his stance to one leg his fingers combed through his hair leaving it slightly messier then before but that was the least of his issues. "Fritzy, Friederike I mean, is well, she's a mother no doubt about it. She's had four children plus me to deal with sice marrying Father. Both muggles so they seem to fit together fine, though Fritzy and her kids had an issue when I first discovered magic," he said shrugging his shoulders feeling awkard about describing his home life to someone. To most it would seem complete happy, but he never enjoyed someone else's mother pushing him around making him do chores. He liked to listened to his father and only him.

 

[Grae Kanu]

It was odd, having his brother stand in front of him. The durmstrang teen wanted nothing more that to just sit down and really let his mind process through the informantion that was being played. His brother, the one in front of him, was their, alive and well. With their father, the saner one of the two parents. And despite the fact that his father's parents had been the one to look after him, there had been no mention of them ever saying that they'd tried to make contact. Not with him, and not with his grandparents. Not even any motion towards the women he had left. Grae could not blame his twin for what their father had done wrong, but he wanted nothing more in that moment than to at least attempt to use some of the anger that was building inside of him. He just wanted to vent. Just let it all go and through a couple of punches. For Grae this was odd. He'd become good at controlling all his emotions. Good at keeping everything under the lid, and expressing so little care and emotion that other people didn't see the point in interaction. But, here, now with his twin right in front of his eyes after all the years of knowing nothing, all Grae could feel was anger. A new and strong anger that he didn't like. Breathing deeply the boy attempted to regain control of his patience. He sighed to himself. This was not how he wanted his brother to think of him. They'd just meet, Grae did not want his brother to think less of him, for the one time when his anger boiled over into his everyday. This conversation was not one he could afford to f##k up. Not in the slightest. After all, he had hardly tried to reach out to them. He hadn't tried to contact his brother or his father, so could he really take the high road, and pinned the blame for the lack of contact on them both. Grae could not imagine living with a step-mom or little childern. He already had to help take care of his grandparents, which was a pretty difficult task. He could hardly imagine having little kids around the place too. "Sounds annoying. So, these childern, are our half siblings?" Grae assumed, pretty sure he was stating the obvious but he still wanted to check. "You should tell our father, to get in contact with his parents, I'll give you the address. They have been worried sick, not knowing where he was, or where you were. Are you new to the school?" Grae asked, pretty sure he had to be or else he was sure they would've met before. Considering they were identical, it would be hard to miss. Even for someone like Grae who paid little or no attention to the world around him.​

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