Licorice, 1
Author: sunsetsinthewes
Challenge: Licorice 1. A merry old soul was he
Extras: Whipped cream
Word Count: 704
Rating: G
Story: Polyfaceted; the title of this story is Shadows.
Summary: A young Johnny seizes the chance to spend some time with his big brother, positive that he's what Torey needs to feel better.
Notes: This takes place in March of 1981. Johnny is four and Torey is six. Originally diagnosed with acute lymphocytic leukemia in 1975, Torey went into remission in 1977. Six months prior to this fic, he began to relapse and this time around is much worse than anything they've dealt with before.
***
It takes Johnny hours of waiting, but after his not-really-naptime the grown-ups finally all go downstairs, and there's no way he's missing this chance.
He's very careful to be quiet when he opens the door, in case Torey is sleeping again. He sleeps a lot, but Mama says that's what he needs, so Johnny tries to always be really quiet and really careful. This time, he's disappointed when he notices that Torey is lying all curled up on his side. But just as he goes to leave, he notices that no one asleep shakes that much.
"Are ya cold?" Johnny asks with his best indoor voice. "I got blankets I can give ya."
Torey rolls over so slowly that it feels like forever before his wet cheeks and red eyes make it obvious that he's been crying. "I'm okay... but thanks."
Except he starts crying again and really hard, and even Johnny knows that crying is not okay. "When ya break stuff, don' try lyin' ta Mama, you're really bad at it." He slowly steps closer until one hand is almost touching, but not actually. "What's wrong? D'ya want me to get Mama?"
"N-no," Torey replies, still crying. He sort of sounds like the froggies they saw on that show with the huge alligator, so Johnny grabs a cup from the ones with plastic on them that they get especially for Torey.
He takes his time pouring the water from the nearly empty pitcher, but when he hands it over he's able to boast, "See, no spills."
"It was really... really good pouring," Torey tells him, stopping a lot to take a lot of breaths. Johnny helps him drink some by holding the cup steady since sometimes Torey drops it.
Setting the cup aside and leaning in, but not too close to get his germs all over, Johnny ask, "Torey? Why're ya cryin'?"
Torey's lower lip trembles for a moment. "I dunno." His shoulders shake and a very timid sob escapes him. "Cause it hurts. Lots."
Johnny's brow knits at that and he frowns as hard as he can. "Whatta 'bout your med'cine? Mama says that's gonna make ya feel better."
"Doesn't... doesn't help." The crying's pretty steadily now, but just when Johnny thinks he should go get a grown up, he hears, "Don't go. Please?"
Well, that settles it in Johnny's mind. Brothers are supposed to stick with brothers, even if they're sick. That's what Pop and Zio Sal always say, anyway. "I won'. Cross my heart an' needles in my eye." He glances around the room, looking for something that might help Torey feel better, but everything's mostly hospital stuff and important things like that. About to give up, he spot the desk lamp on the bedside table and perks up. "Wanna see somethin' cool I learned in school?"
Torey nods, wiping at his cheeks with a rather floppy-looking hand. "Kay."
"Okay first, ya don' look at me, got it?" Johnny instructs, adjusting the lamp until the light shines on the opposite wall. "Ya look over there. Or it won' work."
"Got it."
It takes a few seconds of furious concentration to remember what his hands are supposed to do, but it quickly comes back to him. Making a tight fist and sticking two fingers in the air, Johnny proudly announces, "See? It's a rabbit!"
"Neat."
"Wait, there's lots more. Matt taught me." For the next five or ten minutes, Johnny shows off his wide assortment of shadow puppets, including the really cool dinosaur one. Except for the dog one, which never seems to come out right.
"Not... a dog." Torey insists.
"Is too! See, it's the eye an' mouth an' everythin'."
Torey shakes his head firmly. "No. Looks more like... a smushed parrot... with one wing."
Johnny glances at the weird shape of his hand, which does kinda look like a smushed parrot with one wing, and he loses control. Overcome by giggles, he falls to the ground and rolls as his laughter builds. Mama finds him there when she comes to check on all the noise, and even if he is getting kicked out, he can't stop laughing. It's not until Johnny turns to wave goodbye over his shoulder that he notices Torey's stopped crying.
And, most importantly, that Torey's smiling for the first time in weeks.
***
Challenge: Licorice 1. A merry old soul was he
Extras: Whipped cream
Word Count: 704
Rating: G
Story: Polyfaceted; the title of this story is Shadows.
Summary: A young Johnny seizes the chance to spend some time with his big brother, positive that he's what Torey needs to feel better.
Notes: This takes place in March of 1981. Johnny is four and Torey is six. Originally diagnosed with acute lymphocytic leukemia in 1975, Torey went into remission in 1977. Six months prior to this fic, he began to relapse and this time around is much worse than anything they've dealt with before.
***
It takes Johnny hours of waiting, but after his not-really-naptime the grown-ups finally all go downstairs, and there's no way he's missing this chance.
He's very careful to be quiet when he opens the door, in case Torey is sleeping again. He sleeps a lot, but Mama says that's what he needs, so Johnny tries to always be really quiet and really careful. This time, he's disappointed when he notices that Torey is lying all curled up on his side. But just as he goes to leave, he notices that no one asleep shakes that much.
"Are ya cold?" Johnny asks with his best indoor voice. "I got blankets I can give ya."
Torey rolls over so slowly that it feels like forever before his wet cheeks and red eyes make it obvious that he's been crying. "I'm okay... but thanks."
Except he starts crying again and really hard, and even Johnny knows that crying is not okay. "When ya break stuff, don' try lyin' ta Mama, you're really bad at it." He slowly steps closer until one hand is almost touching, but not actually. "What's wrong? D'ya want me to get Mama?"
"N-no," Torey replies, still crying. He sort of sounds like the froggies they saw on that show with the huge alligator, so Johnny grabs a cup from the ones with plastic on them that they get especially for Torey.
He takes his time pouring the water from the nearly empty pitcher, but when he hands it over he's able to boast, "See, no spills."
"It was really... really good pouring," Torey tells him, stopping a lot to take a lot of breaths. Johnny helps him drink some by holding the cup steady since sometimes Torey drops it.
Setting the cup aside and leaning in, but not too close to get his germs all over, Johnny ask, "Torey? Why're ya cryin'?"
Torey's lower lip trembles for a moment. "I dunno." His shoulders shake and a very timid sob escapes him. "Cause it hurts. Lots."
Johnny's brow knits at that and he frowns as hard as he can. "Whatta 'bout your med'cine? Mama says that's gonna make ya feel better."
"Doesn't... doesn't help." The crying's pretty steadily now, but just when Johnny thinks he should go get a grown up, he hears, "Don't go. Please?"
Well, that settles it in Johnny's mind. Brothers are supposed to stick with brothers, even if they're sick. That's what Pop and Zio Sal always say, anyway. "I won'. Cross my heart an' needles in my eye." He glances around the room, looking for something that might help Torey feel better, but everything's mostly hospital stuff and important things like that. About to give up, he spot the desk lamp on the bedside table and perks up. "Wanna see somethin' cool I learned in school?"
Torey nods, wiping at his cheeks with a rather floppy-looking hand. "Kay."
"Okay first, ya don' look at me, got it?" Johnny instructs, adjusting the lamp until the light shines on the opposite wall. "Ya look over there. Or it won' work."
"Got it."
It takes a few seconds of furious concentration to remember what his hands are supposed to do, but it quickly comes back to him. Making a tight fist and sticking two fingers in the air, Johnny proudly announces, "See? It's a rabbit!"
"Neat."
"Wait, there's lots more. Matt taught me." For the next five or ten minutes, Johnny shows off his wide assortment of shadow puppets, including the really cool dinosaur one. Except for the dog one, which never seems to come out right.
"Not... a dog." Torey insists.
"Is too! See, it's the eye an' mouth an' everythin'."
Torey shakes his head firmly. "No. Looks more like... a smushed parrot... with one wing."
Johnny glances at the weird shape of his hand, which does kinda look like a smushed parrot with one wing, and he loses control. Overcome by giggles, he falls to the ground and rolls as his laughter builds. Mama finds him there when she comes to check on all the noise, and even if he is getting kicked out, he can't stop laughing. It's not until Johnny turns to wave goodbye over his shoulder that he notices Torey's stopped crying.
And, most importantly, that Torey's smiling for the first time in weeks.
***