Jim shrugged free and turned away from the airfield, reluctant to be reminded of his aircraft, now on its way to the breaker’s yard. The faint hum of a microlite in the distance did nothing to improve his mood.

"So what’s so important?" he asked irritably, and Jake shook his head in exasperation.

"Look, idiot." Jim’s eyes followed Jake’s pointing hand automatically, and his retort died unsaid.He didn’t need binoculars to know the silhouette even at that distance. The grey frame, with its stub nose and the long glider-like wings with their unique propellers was unmistakeable. He gaped for a moment before collecting himself enough to speak.

"Is that -?"

"Then try these." Jake handed him a pair of binoculars, all-too-conveniently to hand, and Jim took them. They had obviously been fished out or a cupboard and recently cleaned.

"What've you been setting up?" he asked, suspiciously.

"Go and look," Jake replied. The annoying grin was still there. Realising that he wasn’t going to be left alone to get drunk quietly, Jim gave in.

"Fine. Sooner I get this done, the sooner I can get down to drinking." Jake chuckled, stood up and,gripping Jim’s shoulders, propelled his brother towards the door. Out in front of the house, Jim shrugged free and turned away from the airfield,

"Eighteen effing minutes," Jim muttered sullenly, and his brother grinned back.

"Still older," Jake retorted, leaning against the fridge and blocking Jim from grabbing for another can.

"So why don’t you bugger off and let me get drunk in peace?"

"Because before you get completely hammered, I think you want to have a look at Matt’s place." Jim looked up about to say that he had just lost a plane, the last thing he wanted to do was look at more,and then he saw the look on his brother’s face. Jake was entirely too smug.

"I’m not driving all the way to the other end of the valley," Jim said.

Jim glared for a moment as the truth of the comment sunk in, and then slouched in his chair.

"Why are you having a go? I lost the bleeding auction anyway."

"Because I don't want you doing something silly. You know, like spending two years savings on a plane that can’t even fly -"

"Oh shut it!” Jim had had enough. His brother was being eminently reasonable, and somehow that made it worse. "So you’re so much older and more responsible -"

"Yes, which means saving my little brother from being an idiot is in the job description."