"Essie?" I heard the weak voice of my little brother say from the couch as I walked out of the living room into the music room, piano book tucked under my arm.
"Yeah buddy?" I said as I turned around and walked over to him, kneeling down by his head.
"Can I listen?" I smiled at him as he looked up at me with those big green eyes, and I knew I was too wrapped around his finger to say no.
"Of course sweetheart" With that I kissed his beanie covered head and lifted his frail, skinny body into my arms, grabbing his blanket while I did. Together we made our way to the music room.
"Ok avibear, I'm gonna lay you on the couch, is that alright?"
"yeah"
I laid him on the couch and walked over to the piano, sitting down and setting up my music. I begin to play, playing Avi's favorite.
*** time skip***
"Avi!" I turn around to see him shaking and coughing, struggling to get a breath in. I run over to him, pick him up and run over to the bathroom just as he starts gagging, throwing up within seconds.
"Its alright buddy, get all the ick up, sissy's here." By this point he was shivering and crying. I knew that all I could do was try to comfort him. After what felt like hours, but was really a few minutes the vomiting ceased, but we both know it wasn't over. I took off my hoodie and helped him pull it over his tiny body. I pulled him into my lap and let him cry into my chest, while rubbing his back and whispering soothing words into his ear. We sat there until the next wave came.
This time there was no warning, it just came out. Neither of us realized it happened until I felt something warm spilling over the front of me and on to my lap.
I quickly turned Avi around so that he was over the toilet. I sat there rubbing his back, not really caring about myself while he was in pain.
We sat there for about an hour, repeating the same process, between the next wave I went and got myself changed.
"I think I'm done" Avi said as he collapsed against my chest, gasping for air. He was still crying.
"I'm sorry I ruined your shirt." He said quietly against my chest.
"It'll wash, it was an accident anyways. You're more important than piece of clothing I could ever have."
" You're the best big sister in the world." He said sweetly, curling into me.
"I don't know about that, but I do know that I got the sweetest little brother known to man" I said, wrapping my arms around him.
"Do you want me to take you to bed?" I asked kissing the top of his bald head.
"Yeah" he whispered weakly, wrapping his arms around my neck as I lifted his little body into my arms. I carried him to his bedroom and helped him get changed.
"Can you set up my feed?" he whispered, pointing to the tube coming out of his nose.
"Yeah, is it a tape change night?"Seeing him nod his head I grabbed the supplies to change the tape that stuck his tube to the side of his face.
After I finished sticking the tape with little dragons imprinted on it to his face I said, "Alright, we'll do nighttime meds and then I'll set up your feed for the night"
With a groan, he replied, "I was hoping you'd forget about meds, they make everything hurt"
"I'm sorry buddy, but they'll help you get better. Don't you want that?" He answered me with a heavy sigh and a nod, breaking my heart a little more.
I gave him his medication and then poured his formula into the bag that attached to his tube. I pulled the blanket up to his chin and was just about to leave the room when I felt a little hand grab my wrist. I immediately turned around and looked at my sweet baby brother.
"stay?"
"Of course" and with that I climbed into bed with him and pulled him close, pulling his beanie down so it wouldn't fall off.
" I love you Essie "
" I love you too Avi "
That's how their mother found them while searching the house for Avi to help him get ready for bed. She grabbed her camera and snapped a picture. She knew that Avi wouldn't be able to beat this cancer without his big sister at his side. Planting a kiss on each of their foreheads, she left the room with a small smile on her face. The first in a long time.
End
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First oneshot. Aren't Avi and Esther just the cutest? Avi is 10 this fic and Esther is around 14 or 15 if that helps. Sorry it's kinda short. I love comments btw.
