Ben's head still hurt, and Aldous's attempts at enthusiasm reminded him of the throbbing there. He wasn't sure whether Aldous's voice had actually gotten louder, or if it just seemed more annoying because what he was saying was so obviously superficial. He grimaced slightly as his brother continued to lay out the terms of this arrangement. Once upon a time, Aldous offering to support him whilst he traveled a foreign country seeking adventure would have sounded like a dream come true, but the added condition of so long as you don't turn into some sort of rake soured the deal considerably. It certainly implied that Aldous would be keeping an eye on him while he was overseas, probably a little more closely than Ben would have cared for.

Essentially, his brother was trying to buy his silence for a period of six months--go away, don't do anything too awful, and let your big brothers have their careers. Well, if that was what it came down to, fine. Reuben hadn't asked to be born into this family, and he wouldn't lose any sleep over being separated from the Crouch legacy for a while.

"I don't have much of a choice, do I?" he asked dryly.