Broken lives and shattered minds

Chapter 12~ Zianna to the rescue

One more chapter after this one. Maybe some aftermath stories if I have the motivation. 

Vylad's P.O.V:

TRIGGER WARNING: Anger, dehydration, exhaustion, miscommunication

I rub my eyes, trying and failing to get rid of the sleepiness holding down my eyelids. I have to wake up, I have to move, I have to do stuff. Zane needs me, my only brother needs me. I can't be lazy now, sleep can come later. Later. Always later.

My head feels like it's filled with cotton balls, muffling the world around me. Maybe I could sleep in, it's fine...

Zane would be fine.

I just need some sleep.

...

My eyes shoot open, body lurching upwards in a fluid movement, as the sound of gurgling coughs register in my brain. The fatigue forgotten, left behind in a corner of my mind to be picked up later. I hurl Zane's body upward, giving his chest room the cough without the risk of him choking on it.

After a few minutes the coughing subsides again, glazed eyes meet mine for a moment, and the small fleck of thankfulness is enough to keep me going again.

"I'll get you some water, I'll be right back okay?"

I slowly unwrap my arm from around him, only to be met with a weak pull backwards. A somewhat wrinkled pale hand grabbing onto my sleeve, pleading eyes looking at me with too much fear behind them.

"It's alright, you're okay. I will be right back okay, I promise."

Slowly, the hand retreats. And as fast as my body can carry me I run toward the bathroom, refilling the empty glass of water with the straw Zane had been using. I'm back in a flash, carefully handing over the cup.

"Can you drink that for me? Even if it's just a few sips, you can do this."

I'm not actually sure if what I am saying registers fully in his mind, maybe he is just working on the automatic. But on the off chance that he does process it, I can at least try to comfort him as much as possible.

"See, that's it. You did great Zane."

The hand finds my sleeve again, and I let it guide me toward the bed. My breath hitches in my throat as Zane lays down, still gripping onto me. The image is- is...

Worrying...

Sad...

Horrific...

Sweet...

I can't find the right words for it. It makes me happy to see him wanting me near him, makes me think that maybe somewhere far away in that mind of his, he does recognize me. On the other hand, I don't ever want to see Zane like this again. What it means.

Zane has never been a physical touch kind of person. A brotherly hug wasn't in the picture, a pat on the shoulders- nah ah, even just a small squeeze of the hand to show he was there- nope. As long as Zane could avoid it, he would.

Sure there were exceptions, especially when either That Not-Brother of ours or me would be sad, or worked up over something, he would make an exception, no matter how much he loathed it. He just never enjoyed it, let alone sought it out.

I shake off the thought, and instead watch as Zane slowly slips into a -hopefully- blissful sleep. I follow not too long after.

...

Anger fuels my heart as I stare down at the person daring to step foot in my room. I had woken up due to the sound of the door opening, luckily Zane hadn't. I don't want him to see that traitor, I don't want to see that traitor.