Unknown Brother ✔️ (rewriting soon)

23. '𝘈' 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘮

The room is blurry and his mind is foggy, a release is all that he craves as he removes the small metal object from behind the cough drops in his medicine cabinet and quickly — yet shakily — walks back to his room with the metal in hand, where he knew there were no mirrors that he could accidentally look in.

As the blood drips from his wrist down his finger tips.

Drip. Drip. Drip.

Hitting the hardwood floors almost consistently.

His heart rate speeds up even more which Asher never thought was possible, the one thing that once helped control the constant fear and anxiety appears to be ineffective but 'at least it's a pretty color' Asher thinks to himself as he watches the crimson flow over his pale skin like the tide flows over the sand.

Hitting his head with his fists as he accidentally slams back into the wall — anything to get the thoughts to stop.

Anything is better.

Anything isn't working and all it's doing is frustrating Asher to a possible point of no return.

Meanwhile, Salvatore has been pacing back and forth in the hall directly outside the small boys bedroom, contemplating knocking. He wants to see his brother, no.. He needs to see his brother.. He just doesn't know how to talk to him.

From the moment Asher had arrived he has done nothing but be cruel and detached from the boy. Sending nothing but hateful remarks and cold glares his way.

Now? Now he wants his brother in his life, but he worries it may be far too late. So rather than entering... He's just pacing... Wondering if he should knock or just enter.

What if he's asleep? What if he yells at him and throws him out.

No. He wouldn't do that, that boy hardly speaks much less screams, but that reminder doesn't stop the endless swirl of thoughts that swirled around his brain.

What did put those thoughts on hold was the loud crash that came from the other side of the door. The room that was once silent was now filled with dread, not even thinking twice Salvatore quickly opened the door, the sight before him was beyond heartbreaking.

The youngest Bernardi was pressed against the wall with his knees to his chest, arms completely visible to Salvatore's shocked eyes as he watched the slow dripping crimson fall from his fingertips.

Asher's face was puffy and red from constantly crying, gasping for air, so lost in his own head that he didn't even notice he wasn't alone in the room anymore, which is probably the most unusual thing about this picture.

Asher Bernardi is vigilant. He has to be with the way he grew up, he often notices the little things that others wouldn't notice, and Kyan has learned over the years — it is impossible to sneak up on him.

"No no no." Salvatore whispers to herself as he runs up to his distraught brother and without even thinking, he scooped him up in his arms and gently placed him on his lap as he sits on the edge of Asher's bed, not caring for a second that he was betting blood on his freshly cleaned light gray t-shirt

Asher felt himself be lifted off of the soft carpet, normally he would be repulsed at the touch but he's simply too physically and mentally exhausted to even try to care despite the fact he doesn't recognize the touch.

He knows for a fact it's not Kyan.

Kyan's hold is tight and secure, Quinn isn't much different.

Alessandro's is soft and gentle with a level of safety he never felt before, one that he still doesn't understand.