A/N - owed you all two updates in one day 🫶🏾
~~~
"Here they are!", I was met with the friendly smile from Delilah the second she opened her door, the homely feeling that her house gave off engulfing me in an instant.
"Hey Delilah", Caleb stepped in first, somewhat towering over his best friend's mother as he hugged her briefly and kicked off his shoes.
The twins followed, the two of them removing their shoes and rushing into the kitchen without so much as a look back, I rolled my eyes and turned my attention back to Delilah, wrapping my arms around her for a moment.
"You're shaking honey", of course she had to say that out loud, I could feel Prescott's eyes burning holes into my back as we pulled apart; I pocketed my hands in an instant and cleared my throat.
"Just need to eat", I shook my head with what I hoped was a convincing smile, "I'm fine".
Lie.
I hadn't eaten breakfast or lunch today, so the dinner that Delilah had invited us all over for was due to be my first meal of the day, not so good for my health. Plus, my insulin pod needed changing, I was just praying the looming drop in my sugar levels would wait until we got home.
"You've grown even more since I last saw you", Delilah hugged Chase, seemingly believing what I'd told her, "how's Rory?". Chase smiled, adjusting his glasses with his index finger before clearing his throat.
"She's good", he nodded, a slight blush covering his cheeks, I wasn't sure if it was because he was shy about the topic of his girlfriend, or if he was self-conscious about the fact that he didn't have his hearing aids in. He didn't like to communicate verbally if they weren't in, but when we were around people who didn't know sign well enough he'd make an exception.
"And don't you look smart?", Delilah pinched Prescott's cheek as if he wasn't a twenty year old man, "you've put everyone else to shame".
"It's just a shirt and trousers", my brother shrugged, removing his shoes and rising to his full height, "it smells great in here, I'm starving".
"And yet I had to convince Theo to put a shirt on in general", she rolled her eyes, "food will be ten more minutes, that okay?".
"Sounds perfect, and thank you again for-,", she cut me off with a raised hand to which Prescott chuckled, Chase doing the same as he hovered in the hallway.
"Accept it Zane", she told me, cocking her head towards the kitchen, "you boys want a drink?". I just prayed this dinner went as smoothly as possible.
~
I was an idiot.
Of course I was having regrets about not eating now, because although I had a large plate of lasagna and garlic bread in front of me as we speak, it was too late.
I was in the midst of a hypo, my hands trembling in my lap like I was going through withdrawals, my vision blurry and drowsiness beginning to take over. I was seated next to Prescott, just because the universe was against me, my most observant brother just had to be right there in close proximity.
Theo's thirteen year old sister Amelia was opposite me, but she seemed more interested in poking her twin brother Grayson with a fork and stealing small glances at Alexander than what was going on with me.
"Can I stand up please?", my hazy vision shifted to Xavier who was shifting in his seat, a frown on his face as he fiddled with his cutlery. He was next to Delilah and Alexander near the other end of the table, and while he'd managed to sit there for a good seven minutes, I knew him asking to move around was inevitable.
"Run laps for all we care kid", Reed chuckled and I deflated in relief slightly, I was unsure on how they'd answer that.
"You always say we have to stay-,", Amelia began to speak before being elbowed by her twin, "ow".
"Are you okay honey?", it took me a good few seconds to realise Delilah was talking to me, all eyes now looking in my direction as I raked my hair back with vibrating fingers.
"Yeah, yeah I'm fine", I cleared my throat, reaching for my fork with a wince, I was seeing fucking double at this point.
"You're shaking", Prescott commented, squeezing my shoulder, "what have you eaten today?".
"This?", I lifted a shoulder and literally felt him stiffen, "it's fine- I'm-,".
"You're not fine", he snapped, "uh, do you guys have any juice?".
"Xav honey, pour some orange juice from the fridge", Delilah called over to my brother as I lowered my fork, closing my eyes for a moment.
"You look white as hell man", Caleb's voice filled my ears and I ignored him, "hurry up Xav".
"I'm coming, I-,", I opened my eyes just as my fourteen year old brother came over with the glass.
And then he fucking tripped.
And poured the whole glass over Amelia's back.
The high-pitched scream that came from the thirteen year old made me wince, Theo and Caleb burst out laughing, and Xavier gasp.
"Stay there Lia, I'll get a towel", Reed stood abruptly, amusement in his tone, "Theo, get Zane that juice". I bowed my head when my vision doubled again, Prescott's hand running up and down my back slowly as Xavier's repetitive apologies filled the room.
"I'm so sorry Amelia", he said for the thousandth time, "I didn't mean to".
"It's so sticky", she groaned, Caleb's laughter still ongoing.
"He said he didn't mean it", Alexander chimed in, defensiveness in his voice, "accidents happen all the time".
I lifted my head the second my brother tapped my shoulder, a new glass of orange juice now in front of me; he had to fucking help me lift it to my mouth with the rate my hands were shaking.
Wasn't this the dinner from hell?
"My pod", I muttered to Prescott once I'd finished the whole glass and cleared my throat, "it needs changing".
"Now?", he asked to which I nodded, "okay". His presence vanished from beside me and a new one replaced it; the distinctive voice that came from my left telling me that it was Chase who had shuffled into the seat.
"You okay?", he asked, "sorry- stupid question".
"I'll be fine", I told him, "how's your headache?".
"Basically gone", he replied and I hummed, "why didn't you eat anything today?". Not him too.
"Busy", was all I said, hearing the front door open and close.
"Too busy to keep yourself functioning?", he asked to which I merely lifted a shoulder, "you're something else".
"So I've been told", I sighed, peeling my eyes open and looking at Xavier who was watching Reed wrap Amelia in a towel guiltily.
"I really am sorry", he said again, a snort coming from Theo.
"Don't apologise Xav, you did- did us a uh, a favour", he grinned from the other side of Chase, I shifted my attention to the doorway where Prescott was hovering, my medical bag in hand; I guess today was a lesson learned.
~
"What were you thinking?", my twenty year old brother scolded me like a parent would to their young child, "no meals until dinner? Did you fancy a hospital visit today or something?". He wiped the side of my stomach which didn't have a pod on clean with an antibacterial wipe while I ripped off the old one, cursing under my breath which made him look at me.
We were crammed in the Kingstons' downstairs bathroom, me leaning against the small sink, Prescott moving between a crouched and standing position while he sorted out my new insulin pod and prepared my stomach.
"Lost track of time", I told him, which wasn't entirely a lie, the last thing on my mind was food earlier on today.
"How did you even drive when you went to get Xan at lunch?", he asked, sticking the new pod down and standing up straight.
"With my hands and feet, something called a steering wheel too", I flashed him a grin and he slapped my head, a smirk tugging at his lips as he picked up my phone and tapped away on the screen.
"You're hilarious", he said dryly, "needle". I hummed, blinking as I felt the small prick in my skin, releasing my shirt and letting it fall back down to where it was, I tipped my head back with a sigh and stared at the ceiling.
"Dinner from hell", I commented, he just snorted as he packed away the stuff, looking over at me when he was done.
"Could be worse", he shrugged, I narrowed my eyes at him.
"Don't even put that out there", I muttered, running my fingers through my hair, "do you think Xavier's still apologising?".
"Definitely", he laughed, "we're lucky Delilah and Reed tolerate us, we would've been kicked out otherwise".
"They've been there for us for years", I nodded, "and Theo for Caleb".
"Has he spoken to you? About the therapy at all?", he asked, fiddling with the bottom of his untucked shirt and sighing, "I feel like I should be doing more, you know? He's only just started showering without one of us in the room again". And I hadn't been prouder than when Caleb had told me he didn't need me to wait outside for him anymore; he was taking small steps in the roughly three weeks he'd been in his intensive therapy.
Small steps, but steps regardless.
"He's taking it all at his pace, he's told me a few things, not a lot", I replied, "it's going to take a while, Prescott- he didn't even want to be here a few weeks ago". He clenched his jaw and nodded, I cupped a hand behind his head and brought him into my embrace, knowing he put them before himself just as much as I did.
Everything we did was for them, always would be.
~~
It'd been three days since the traumatic dinner at Delilah's, and it was safe to say we hadn't gone anywhere since.
Well, apart from my brothers at school or work.
It was after school on Friday now, and it was just the twins, Prescott and I home; Caleb was with Theo because apparently the two of them had a magnetic pull to each other, and the same could be said for Chase and Aurora.
"We're fifteen in like two months", Xavier announced, "I'll have a beard soon". The fact that the pair of them were no longer nine year olds who shared a room did nothing but fucking terrify me, and make me feel old.
"You can't even grow arm hair", Alexander scoffed, selecting his usual character of Bowser on the soon-to-begin Mariokart game on the tv screen.
"Neither can you", Xavier retorted, selecting Princess Peach and leaning back into the sofa, "you're so gonna lose".
"Yeah right", his twin scrunched up his face, "who do you think will win Zane?". No way was I getting into this.
"Can't I just watch with an unbiased opinion?", I asked the pair of them, receiving two eye rolls in return- well then.
Two races into their grand prix and I turned upon hearing the front door open; with Caleb probably due to stay at Theo's tonight that only meant it could be Chase. What I didn't expect was to see his girlfriend glued to his side, the pair of them in somewhat matching outfits; the same oversized T-shirts while Chase wore shorts, Aurora in trousers.
"You two are glued to this game", was the first thing our seventeen year old brother said, intertwining their fingers and coming over to the sofa, "Zane".
"Hey Zane", Aurora smiled and I returned it, watching the two of them take the other sofa; Chase removed his hearing aids and glasses in an instant, placing them on the coffee table and curling up half on his girlfriend's lap.
"And where have you two been?", I asked, trying to drown out the competitive trash talk coming from the twins.
"We had a walk in the park", Aurora replied, her fingers taming Chase's hair delicately, "then stopped for coffee".
"And where was mine?", I raised an eyebrow, watching her smile sheepishly, "I expect a black coffee next time".
"Your wish is my command", she saluted me and I smirked, "who's who?".
"Xav's Princess Peach", Alexander replied, "and I'm Bowser, kicking everyone's ass".
"Not for long", Xavier vowed, even though he seemed stuck in eighth place for the foreseeable future, "is Chase sleeping?". An unintelligible groan came from our brother and I smirked, watching him lift his head and sign something to his girlfriend that I couldn't make out from over here.
"We didn't walk for too long", she rolled her eyes, replying verbally since he'd buried his head on her stomach once more, "anyone ever tell you you're lazy?".
"Chase just sticks his face in books", Xavier said, eyes still glued to the screen, "and stares at those magazines about buildings".
"Architecture", Aurora mused, "my favourite nerd".
"Ew", Alexander pretended to gag and I chuckled, rolling my eyes when Chase flipped them off.
"How do you two feel about going for burgers?", Aurora surprised me by asking the twins, sure she'd never shied away from bonding with any of us but I couldn't say she'd actively taken the twins out yet.
"Us?", Xavier's face lit up, "fuck yeah".
"Xavier", I warned him and he surrendered, controller in hand, "you're driving Aurora?".
"I can take Chase's car", she shrugged, "is that okay?".
"If the twins are up for it, absolutely", I replied, already being able to picture the silence in here for an hour or so.
"Why not?", Alexander paused the game, rising to his feet and stretching, "I'm changing my clothes". He headed out of the room and Xavier soon followed, muttering something along the same line.
"Before you go", I faced Aurora again, she was still being crushed by my brother, "if Xavier wants to get up, just let him move around, paying him notice will only make him feel self-conscious..if Alexander gets angry, give him the keys to-,". I was cut off by a groan by Chase who sat up and moved his hands rapidly, a deadpan expression on his face.
"She knows what she's doing", he told me and I rolled my eyes.
"Just checking", I replied with my hands, watching him move off of Aurora and stand; he looked like he was about to fall asleep right here, right now.
The twins entered the room again a few moments later, the pair of them already has their shoes on and seemed eager to leave; I knew they both got along well with Aurora so I knew this would be good for them.
As much as it had taken me a long while to begin to see it, accepting help from other people wasn't the horrible thing I'd made it out to be for all of these years...
~~
With it now being Saturday and not even midday, I wasn't expecting to see any of my brothers for now; so I'd managed to slip away into my office with my breakfast, a coffee, and a mountain of paperwork.
And yet I kid you not, the office door knocked the second I lifted my mug to my lips.
Caleb entered, shirtless, brown hair all over the place, no doubt he'd just rolled out of my bed. He was still sleeping in my room as of recently, his return to sleeping in his own room something we were working on slowly but surely.
"You okay?", I asked him, placing my coffee down as he closed the door, I gestured to the sofa opposite my desk and he sunk into it, wincing at the chill of the leather.
"Yeah", he nodded, "I just wanted to talk to you about something".
"I'm all ears", I smiled, completely neglecting everything else I was doing and giving him my undivided attention.
"How hard is it to start your own business?", not what I expected to be asked at this time of morning.
"It can depend on the business", I sipped my coffee and furrowed my eyebrows slightly, "can I ask why?".
"I've been doing some thinking, and research I guess", I nodded slowly, "about maybe opening a gym".
"I see", my eyes widened slightly, I wasn't sure if the shock was due to their maturity being slapped in my face yet again, or the overwhelming pride that was filling me just by looking at how far my brother had come recently.
"You don't think I can do it", he stood abruptly and I frowned, "I knew this was stupid, I-,".
"Sit down", I ordered and he obliged, "I didn't say it was stupid, I was just stunned for a moment. What's made you think of this?".
"Well, I like boxing", he said as if it were obvious, "it's uh, it's helped me to cope with Aug, kinda".
"It's an outlet for your grief", I nodded understandingly, "and you want to expand this?".
"Yeah- and I know it won't be for now, I'm assuming it's a long process", he leaned back and scratched his head, "but I need to work on myself first right? Get back on track?".
"I couldn't be prouder with the progress you've been making Caleb, no matter how small you think it may be", I told him honestly, "we can begin to slowly look into it? Ease into it gradually?".
"You'll help?", he asked, I don't know why he looked surprised.
"That's what I'm here for, is it not?", I smirked, "write down any ideas you have, anything". His expression faltered and he shifted in the seat, glancing at me apprehensively.
"Do you think my dyslexia will get in the way?", he muttered, looking away from me, "I'm slower than most people- I don't even know how you can read my handwriting-,".
"With crystal clarity", I cut him off, "it may be a small obstacle, make you have to try a little harder at times, but I don't believe it will hinder you- put your mind to this and I don't see why you can't be successful".
I meant it- if he could turn his grief, his experiences, into a positive outlet for other people, it would do nothing but make me proud, and hopefully him proud of himself too.
~~~
A/N - it's finally hitting me that I'll only be writing in Marco's POV (and Aniyah's) full time soon😃
(With the exception of the extra scenes ofc)