"Should we tell dad?" Leo asked as he and Justin settled into the bedroom Allie had given them. Justin was sitting on the camp bed while Leo was sitting on the normal bed.
"No." Justin replied, glaring at the door as if he half expected their dad to walk in on them. "How are you feeling?" Justin asked, causing Leo to shrug. He was tired and there was an aching pain in his body that didn't seem to go away nowadays but otherwise he was fine.
"It's not as bad as I thought it would be here." Leo stated. Allie and Vaughan's home, while not theirs, was nice enough and it had a homely feeling that Justin and Leo's own had been sorely lacking ever since their dad had walked out on there mum.
"Maybe not, but it's not our home." Justin said, bitterly glaring at the wall.
"Can we at least try here?" Leo asked, getting only a shrug in answer from Justin. Groaning, Leo collapsed backwards onto the bed.
"You didn't eat much at dinner." Justin said after a few minutes of silence.
"Wasn't hungry." Leo replied but Justin just set his glare of Leo, shutting the younger up. "I miss mum." the younger stated, hoping that might distract his brother from asking questions like that.
"So do I and don't change the subject." Justin said, getting to his feet and sitting next to his brother on the bed. "We can tell dad if you want."
"No, it'll only work him." Leo replied, sighing under his breath.
"We'll go to the hospital after school tomorrow, get everything sorted." Justin stated just as the door opened and Floyd walked in. "What are you doing here?" Justin turned his gze from Leo, switching his look from kindness to indifference.
"It's my room." Floyd glared straight at Justin and Leo sighed, knowing living with these two would be hard work, even more so than his own health problems.
"not any more it isn't. It's mine and my brothers so get lost." Justin replied.
"Justin, please don't." Leo said, grabbing onto his brothers arm as Justin went to stand up. Justin turned to look at Leo before slowly nodding.
"What do you want?" Justin asked, getting a confused look from Floyd.
"Just to grab some stuff." Floyd said, hesitantly looking between the two brothers.
"Then get it." Justin didn't keep his eyes from Floyd as the red head moved around the room.
"Do you have to?" Leo asked as soon as Floyd left the room. Justin rolled his eyes and Leo couldn't help but laugh a little at his brother. He hated that Justin couldn't at least try and be happy for his dad but he couldn't help but admit he agreed with some of his brothers actions. Why should his dad get to be happy with his new family while they were left behind.
"Keeps things interesting." Justin grinned, moving back to the door. "I'm going out, we'll talk later."
"Okay." Leo said, pulling out his phone and leaning against the wall as he text his mum.
...
"Where have you been?" Vaughan asked as Justin walked back into the house. He'd needed a break from everything, specifically his dad's new happy family, so had left the house for some air. "You've been gone for hours." Justin said, just as he glanced at the clock. It was nearing 10.
"What do you care?" Justin glared at his dad.
"Justin, I know it may seem like I abandoned you and Leo but..."
"Seem like you abandoned us. You left us to shack up with someone else's kids what are we supposed to think." Justin cut his dad off, his voice raising. Allie appeared at the door then and Justin saw the mark on his forehead he had made and he couldn't help the grin that came at the sight she deserved it.
Vaughan went to say something before Justin left the room but Allie put a hand on his shoulder. "Yeah, just do what your new family wants. You don't care about me or Leo so why don't you just leave us alone." Justin shouted, going up the stairs before his dad could say anymore.
...
Justin woke up that night to the sound of Leo moaning in his sleep. "Hey." Justin jumped to his feet, shaking his little brother awake. Leo was bleary eyed as he focused on his brother. "You okay?" Justin asked, feeling his brothers forehead. It was warm.
"Fine." Leo stated, pulling himself up so he was sitting
"No, you're not." Justin argued. "You've got a fever."
"The doctors said it would happen." Leo argued and Justin looked at his brother angrily.
"You mean this has happened before." Justin asked.
"Most nights." Leo said, sheepishly looking down at the sheets.
"Why didn't you get me?" Justin asked.
"It's just a fever. I'm fine." Leo said but Justin looked at his brother angrily, shutting Leo up.
"You're pale and you were moaning." Justin argued. "you know what the doctors said would happen if you get sick." worry was working it's way up inside of Justin as he thought of all the meetings he'd taken his little brother to at the doctors. Thought about everything they'd said.
"Kep it down, we don't want dad hearing." Leo pleaded but Justin wasn't listening.
"I'll get the doctors appointment for tomorrow morning. Maybe they have something that might help." Leo pushed Justin away.
"Justin, it's nothing compared to what it could be. I'm fine." Justin looked at Leo unbelievably. "I'm going back to sleep." Leo stated, pushing Justin away ashe out his head back onto the pillow.
Justin sat on the bed for a few moments, considering making Leo talk more to him but he knew that wouldn't hep so headed to his own bed. He didn't sleep though, to busy listening to his little brothers breathing and thrashing about. Maybe keeping their dad in the dark wasn't the best thing because Justin didn't know how he was going to handle this when Leo got, inevitably worse.
,...
Leo hadn't slept well that night. After waking up to Justin, he'd tossed and turned, trying desperately to ignore the aching pain in his bones and the sweat soaked sheets he was sleeping on. The doctors had warned them that Leo's condition would cause (what they called) night sweats and fever. They even warned Leo he'd have a weakened immune system, which was probably why Justin was so worried.
His brother had been the one to take him to his doctors appointments and hospital tests, not their mum and their dad didn't even know. Not that Leo wanted him to. He may be angry that his father left them and upset that Vaughan was happy and they weren't but he didn't want to upset his dad. And he knew Vaughan would be worse than upset if he ever found out.
"toast?" Allie asked Leo when he came down the stairs. He'd left Justin in their room, which had already proven what Leo feared; that Justin would find out all the things he'd been hiding from his brother. Leo nodded, siting at the breakfast table opposite Tiffany.
"Where's Justin?" the girl asked, smiling at Leo who hesitantly smiled back. Leo shrugged. His dad wasn't down yet, leaving Leo alone with the westbrooks which was awkward considering he didn't know them and he was naturally shy.
"We'll, he'll have to come down soon or he'll miss his lift." Allie said, frowning. She was obviously not impressed by Justin behaviour, probably thanks to yesterday.
"Wouldn't be a bad thing." Floyd smirked Justin came downstairs.
"I wouldn't want to get in the same car as you lot anyway." Justin replied, glaring at Floyd before switching his age to Leo. "See you at school." the older said and quickly disappeared from the house as Vaughan came into the kitchen.
"was that just?" he quashed and Allie started to Talk again but Leo blocked it out, not interested in hearing whatmallie had to say about his brother.
As Leo sat there, watching his dad interact with his new family he couldn't help but fell the pang of envy towards the westbrooks. Why should the get to have a happy family with his dad when Leo and Justin were left alone? What hurt most, though, was the fact that Vaughan didn't even spare a glance at his youngest son as he moved around and Leo hated it.
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